Nothing Ordinary
by Aka Chuurippu
Summary: Ichigo befriends the new foreign exchange student with a dark past. Things he discovers are darker than he originally thought. There's nothing ordinary about her. Rated M for later chapters, adult situations & language. IchigoxOC pairing.
1. Chapter 1

Bleach belongs to Tite Kubo; this is just a fan fiction! I do not own anything related to Bleach.

_**You wanted to  
Grab a brush and put on a little make up  
you wanted to  
hide the scars to fade away the shakeup  
you wanted to  
why'd you leave the keys upon the table?  
You wanted to**_

* * *

"Ichigo! I'm so happy!" Keigo Asano screamed excitedly as he rushed over to his friend's desk. "Did you hear? We're getting a new foreign exchange student today. Apparently it's her first time in Japan never mind Karakura!"

"If that's the case then Keigo, you really should behave yourself."

"Yeah right, like women don't like it when Keigo the magnificent flirts with them and makes their heart dance," Keigo boasted. Ichigo looked over at Mizuiro who simply shrugged. Rukia was the next to attempt to tell Keigo to take a pill and actually behave in a civil manner towards the new girl, remembering how he'd been her first day at Karakura high school.

The new girl was about an inch or two taller than Rukia, her hair was the colour of milk chocolate, her eyes reminded Ichigo of tree leaves. She was well built, and he could tell she tried her best to stay in shape. The one problem that Ichigo could see for this woman, when it came to Keigo, she did have nice breasts he knew Keigo would be all over her because of that. They were not so much large, just nice, firm, and perky. The only make up she wore was pale pink lipstick.

As Ichigo and Rukia had feared, Keigo made his move leaping at the new girl to give her a 'hug'. The new girl responded quickly, with a near animalistic instinct. She brought her arm up, and left her elbow exposed for Keigo to run into, turning her body half way around so the elbow was the only thing he'd connect with. Her defensive tactic worked. Keigo ran right into the elbow, and his nose began gushing blood. "Haven't you heard of a hand shake, you bloody idiot?" She inquired.

Ichigo thought for a moment that there was certain ferocity to her voice that he'd only heard once a long time ago, but where he'd heard that tone of voice he couldn't remember. It was vicious and yet, there was a trace of something else, fear?  
He decided he'd be nicer to her, maybe find out why she had that tone in her voice. Something that Rukia and Ichigo then noticed was that this new girl, despite the dress code was wearing the boy's school uniform, not the blouse and skirt that girls are typically required to wear.

Ichigo extended his hand, "Hey, I'm Ichigo Kurosaki."

The girl looked at him; there was something in her eyes that made his heart sink, distrust? But she'd only just met him. "Morgan MacKenzie," she replied taking his hand.

Keigo was on the floor crying over his nose. "Next time you should listen and control your hormones," Ichigo stated in response to Keigo's antics.

"I'm Rukia Kuchiki," Rukia stated offering her hand to Morgan. "Hello, I'm Morgan MacKenzie" Morgan smiled.

She seemed more at ease with Rukia then with either himself or Keigo (well Keigo was a monkey who allowed his hormones to get the better of him, so he could understand her not liking Keigo). What had he done to deserve that distrust? Maybe it had nothing to do with anything he himself had done, but something someone else had done... but how would he ask such a personal question? In either case at that instant he decided that if a guy charged himself at her, he'd help her out if it became too much for her, it was clear that she could take care of herself, at least one on one.

He looked her over again and smiled to himself, if he was right about the reason for her behaviour, she was a very tough woman.


	2. Chapter 2

Weeks past, October became December, Morgan and Rukia had started hanging out together during lunch and occasionally she and Ichigo would chat in between classes, but aside from that, hardly anyone interacted with her. She seemed anti-social, but Ichigo was certain that there was some kind of reason behind her behaviour. He became even more convinced one December evening after school while he and Rukia were walking back to his house when they came across something. Morgan was staring down a man almost a foot taller than her, he was laughing at her, although she did her best to keep her composure both of them noticed something in her body language that could indicate not just fear, but sheer horror.

"You walked away last time Mack, you won't walk away today."

"Oh really? Try it, see which limb you lose first," Morgan replied, her green eyes narrowed ready to pounce on a moment's notice.

Ichigo observed from the side lines, determined to run in and take over if things got too rough for her, in the past few weeks she had told him countless times 'back off, I've got this pervert where I want him'. The man charged at Morgan, she jumped, turned in mid air, and brought her elbow crashing into the man's jaw. He then made a reach for her neck with both hands. She thrusted her hands forward, palms down and open, catching the man's fingers and bending them backwards. Next her leg came up and kicked his chin snapping his head back.

"Bitch! You bitch!" the man screamed, it was clear she had caused some damage.

"If I'm a bitch, you're a dick. It's just that simple. You may have hurt me last time, but I've learned a lot since the last time we danced. Go and tell your brothers I will not be bullied by them or any other man, and if they so much as try it, I'll make sure they sing in the high do for the rest of their life. Understand?" her eyes blazed with anger, and her face was flushed. Ichigo was guessing the flushed face was from rage, not embarrassment.

The man rose to his feet and ran away. Morgan picked up her book bag as if nothing happened, though her hand was shaking slightly and started to walk down the street. Ichigo worried about something, what if more were waiting for her?

"Hey, Morgan!" he hollered out as he ran up to her.

"Ichigo, what are you doing here? How long were you there?"

"Long enough. Who was that guy?"

Morgan adverted her eyes, "Just some loser I used to know." Was that sadness in her voice?

"How about I walk you home, just to be safe? I'd hate to see you show up for school tomorrow covered in cuts and bruises."

He hadn't expected this; her eyes were narrow once again. "How about you don't? How about you stay away from my home?"

"Uh, okay. I was just trying to be nice."

"Everything that I know about nice guys is that they don't really exist. It's a mask that they put on to hide that they're really perverted Neanderthals driven by one need and one need only."

"Hey, I'm not a pervert! Keigo's a million times more perverted than me."

"All men are perverts."

"Just what the hell happened to you to hate men so much?"

She glared at him. He had his answer. "I thought as much," he replied, lowering his head, regretting that he hadn't been around when it had happened. "I'm sorry some dick heads did that to you Morgan. No girl should ever endure that."

Wait, was this guy actually nice? She was instantly embarrassed and her blushing face showed it. Ever since the attack she had been determined never to be a victim again, not realising that by shunning men she kept herself a victim. She looked at the ground, too ashamed to look him in the face, "I'm sorry, Ichigo. Look, I don't feel comfortable having guys around my home... but there's a cafe near my place. How about we just walk there together, n I'll continue on my own from there?"

Ichigo smiled a bit "Alright."

Shouting over his shoulder he called to one of his bestfriends, "Rukia, I'll see you at home." Rukia nodded understanding fully. This was who Ichigo was. He was a protector, and had a sense of honour that couldn't be found anywhere else.  
Rukia turned and headed towards the house.

Morgan and Ichigo walked further down the streets, with Ichigo keeping his hands in his pockets, he didn't want to frighten her. They walked in silence for a while, an awkward heavy silence that seemed to almost suffocate Ichigo. He knew she'd only trust in guys again and open up if someone was kind enough to her. "So, where are you from?" He asked, trying to break the silence.

"Canada. I'm only going to be here for a few months."

"Really?"

"Yeah, I'm here on business. I'm an actress, you see... and we're doing a film shoot in Karakura town. It's expected to take about five or six months."

"What kind of movie?"

"It's an action/drama flick," Morgan replied. She seemed to be kind of relaxing and tensing up at the same time. "You okay?"

"Yeah, fine," she replied. Ichigo could guess that the guy she had beaten up earlier had something to do with her incident, and that she was a bit shaken. What should he do? Grab her hand? Hand on her shoulder? His hand came up to the back of his head and began to scratch... a nervous reaction when he was thinking of what to say or do next. He decided to just place a hand on her shoulder, bad mistake. She instantly grabbed his wrist and flipped him over her own head. God! What the hell did those guys do to her? Was she like this before she was attacked? Groaning Ichigo rose to his feet.

"Geez... I just wanted to try to calm you a bit."

"I'm sorry. This is why I stay away from men. Ichigo... it only happened a few months ago." Ichigo paled. No wonder, everything was still fresh for her. He sighed heavily, he wanted her to let him in, but the circumstances made things difficult. "

It's alright Morgan... but you can't go around distrusting every guy for the rest of your life. Look, I'm just going to put my arm around you, alright? That way other guys'll know that you're walking with me, and if they try anything I'll pound their head in. Alright?" Morgan blushed, but nodded shyly.

Ichigo gingerly placed an arm around her shoulders protectively. "Something else... do you have any siblings?"

Morgan looked away, "No. I don't have a father either."

"So then your only experience..."

"Was a male friend who betrayed me, yes."

Ichigo could feel his heart breaking. "I'm gonna make you a promise Morgan. I can't do anything when you're not in Karakura... but while you're here, I'm going to treat you like my sister. I'll protect you."

She smiled a little... she actually smiled? Yes it was a smile. "That's sweet of you, but if you do that, I'll start becoming reliant on you and what happens when you're not there? It's better that I place full trust in myself."

Ichigo went silent, she was right. Even still, he felt the same urge to protect her that he felt for Karin, Yuzu, Orihime, Rukia... all of his family and friends. Ichigo became aware of something, someone had been following them. He'd seen the same guy for about a block, and he was always behind them... whenever Ichigo turned to get a better look the guy ducked behind a tree or a building, preventing Ichigo from getting a clear view.


	3. Chapter 3

Ichigo worried about Morgan, if he left her and that guy was still following he'd only have two choices, one walk away, two follow the guy who was tailing Morgan and risk breaking the minimal trust she had left in men.

"Well, this is the cafe," Morgan stated, a bit of a smile on her face. "Thank you for walking me here Ichigo, i'll be fine from here."

"Morgan..."

"Hmm?"

Ichigo lowered his voice to a whisper and got a bit closer "There's some guy that's been following us for the last block. I just want to give him a bit more time to go another path before I leave you for the night," Ichigo stated.

She looked in his eyes, searching the almond coloured irises she found nothing there to distrust. He was a determined, protective, and kind hearted person. That much she could tell. Then again, she had thought the same thing about Nate. Inviting him into her place for coffee was out of the question.

"Wanna grab a cup of coffee with me for a bit then?" Morgan offered.

Ichigo nodded, and smiled a little. She trusted him a little. That was a start down a healing path for her. It was fragile, but the trust was there, just ever so slightly.

They sat in the coffee shop, and exchanged a few childhood stories with each other. Morgan was actually laughing a little "So what happened to your mother?"

Ichigo's smile faded "She died, when I was nine."

Morgan's eyes fell, "I'm sorry. I know how hard that is." He looked at her, did she?

"My Dad died when I was four. A car accident. The road was slick with ice, and we crashed into a telephone pole." Her fist clenched a bit. "Morgan, what is it?"

"It was my fault."

"Huh? You just said it was an accident... how could it be your fault?"

"I'm the reason he was speeding on an icy road. We had been sledding in this huge field; I remember having so much fun that day in the snow. But, my lungs started acting up. I couldn't breathe. So Dad packed me into the back seat, and sped off towards a hospital. But we hit the telephone pole before we got there."

"Asthma?" Ichigo asked.

Morgan nodded her head. "After that, mom never forgave me. So she sent me to New York to live with my aunt and her children. But things didn't really work out. When I was sixteen, I got emancipated, took up a career, and now my schooling takes place where ever I am on location," Morgan said with a fake smile. Ichigo preferred her real smile.

"Your dad wouldn't want you to blame yourself," Ichigo stated. He remembered the Grand Fisher Hollow, and how his mother's last thoughts had been about how much fun his mother had with him, and how much they all loved each other.

"When did you turn sixteen?"

"Three months ago. At first, I lived with some friends. I don't anymore. I never will again. Not unless I can trust them fully."

Ichigo looked her over, she was petite, feisty, determined, defensive, and yet he knew somehow that her defensiveness was only because of what happened to her. Ichigo grabbed a napkin, and taking a pen out of his bag began scribbling on the napkin.

"Here, it's my phone number. If you need anything, don't be afraid to call. If it requires someone going over, I'm sure Rukia won't mind."

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why are you being nice?"


	4. Chapter 4

Ichigo grinned a bit at her question. Did this girl hate herself? "Why not?" he asked sipping his coffee. He saw the guy that had been following them walk past the cafe. Ichigo figured she'd be safe now, but he was enjoying this. He hadn't felt such a natural connection since Rukia first showed up in his room with her Zanpakuto.

"You ever get the feeling we're not alone in this world? Humans I mean," Morgan asked suddenly, her gaze had turned to something outside.

Ichigo almost spat out his coffee, but instead choked on the fluid a bit. "What do you mean?" He asked when he could breathe normally again, chancing a hidden glance out of the window, he didn't see any spirits, what was she talking about?

Morgan blushed a little; she seemed embarrassed to have even brought it up. "I mean spirits, ghosts."

Ichigo was a bit more nervous now. "Yeah, sometimes."

"I can see things. Ever since the accident, I've seen things that make me convinced we're not alone. But... the night that... it... happened, I saw something that scared me worse than the incident its self."

"What was that?"

"I could've sworn I saw my father. A chain linked to his chest... and when he saw what was happening, but he couldn't stop it, the chain glowed red, almost looked like it was ripping from his chest."  
Ichigo had stopped drinking the coffee, had her father become a hollow?

"I think he hasn't passed on because of me. Because of the friction between myself and mom. But it can't be helped," Morgan concluded. She shook herself as if trying to snap out of a trance. "Anyways, I've bored you enough with my psycho babble better suited for a therapist. I'm gonna head home," she said as she rose to her feet, her book bag in tow.

"Alright, I'll see you tomorrow then," Ichigo said with a wave. Morgan raised a hand in response as a goodbye gesture. "And Morgan..."

She stopped in her tracks, "Yeah?"

"I don't think its psycho babble, and you didn't bore me. I'll talk to you at school tomorrow," Ichigo stated, smiling as he raised his coffee cup to her. She looked back at him, and chanced a small smile. "Alright then."

She then took off out the cafe. Ichigo finished the last bit of his coffee, and watched from outside the cafe door as she disappeared into an apartment complex about two buildings over. He stood guard for a moment, making sure the guy that had been following didn't go into the same complex. Seeing nothing happening, he turned, book bag slung over his shoulder as he walked home.

Her place was out of his way, but if she ever needed someone to walk with her, he didn't mind. After all, what kind of low life attacks a girl the way she was? The idea left a disgusting taste in his mouth, and even after spitting, he still felt the urge to vomit. How could some men be such pigs? He'd thought about sex, sure. He thought about it every day in fact. But unlike other men he just dealt with it. Knowing that if he started acting like Keigo, he'd lose his female friends who were important to him, he knew that if he ever tried to force himself onto a girl, he'd physically beat himself up.

No intentionally suggestive comments, no intentionally suggestive actions, and certainly nothing as damaging to his image as admitting his stash of porno magazines between his mattress and box springs. Morgan... the more he thought about her, the angrier he got. He couldn't believe how she'd been through so much but still, occasionally, found the courage to smile. Mostly she'd wear a scowl, like he did, but she had an easier time smiling than he did. Why was that?

She had to be stronger than him. Maybe he shouldn't worry so much. Maybe she'd be okay after all, with or without his help. He couldn't back down now though. He'd gotten her to open up a bit, and sometimes that first step, that crucial step, is the frailest out of all of them. _I'll help her as much as I can, but there's only so much I can do, the rest is up to her. I've only got five, maybe six months to work with. So as much time as I can spare, I should spend it with her. She did trust men once. It's just a matter of her relearning that trust and how to tell who she can trust._ Ichigo thought as he entered the front door. His thoughts were interrupted by a man shouting, "You're late!"


	5. Chapter 5

Ichigo blocked his dad's punch with counter punch. "Late making sure a girl got home safely," Ichigo spat.

"A girl huh? Home safely. Sure son, I see what really happened," Isshin stated.

Ichigo's body tensed. Did his dad just suggest what he thought he suggested. "So when do we get to meet the girlfriend?" Isshin pushed a bit further.

"IT'S NOT LIKE THAT!" Ichigo screamed in frustration. Did his dad think he was a primitive ape who couldn't control his sexual urges? Ugh! Though thinking of Morgan again, he was feeling a bit... stiff.

"Forget dinner, I'm going to bed."

Rukia watched his movements and knew that if she saw him again in about a half hour, he'd be walking a bit more normal. While she knew Ichigo wouldn't give into temptation easily, she also knew that he was a guy with needs and desires like every other male. Having grown up around Renji, she had learned how to read the body language indicating 'I need a half hour to myself. Don't bug me for anything'.

Morgan entered the apartment, hanging her keys up in their place, she then looked around "Scooter, I'm home," she called out. A grey cat appeared, prancing on its tiny paws towards her, and then leaping into her arms. "Hey sweetie, were you a good kitty while I was away?" A soft meow and a head butt against her cheek was all the response she needed. She cuddled the cat, scratching its ears, and petting its head, it became evident after a while that the cat wanted back down. She positioned the cat so that it had a very small drop, and released her hold on it, allowing the cat to leap down to the ground again.

She went into her bedroom and changed out of the school uniform. After having dinner and doing her homework, she sighed. Today was the two month anniversary, and the time that the attack occurred was coming up fast. Shaking a bit she went into the kitchen to make herself a hot chocolate thinking that the endorphins that the chocolate releases into her system might do her some good.

"You're really pathetic," she said to herself.

"It's just a memory and you tremble at it. What a fucking loser," she scolded herself.

A thunder storm began with a loud crack. She jumped, scalding herself with the hot milk. "Ahh... fuckin' hell," she grumbled, running cold water over the burn. But it wasn't easing the pain a whole lot. "Shit, shit, shit..." She could see the blistering and redness occurring, she'd never had a burn that bad before. _I should probably see a doctor, but I don't know any around here. Maybe Ichigo does._ With that, she dug around in her book bag for the napkin with Ichigo's phone number.

Ichigo had been listening to his IPod when Karin opened his bedroom door. "Ahh! Don't you knock?"

"Would you have heard if I did?" Karin asked.

Ichigo was outwitted by his younger sister once again. "What is it Karin?"

"Phone call for you, some girl, sounded kind of freaked out." Ichigo made a mad dash for the phone. "Hello?" he asked trying to keep his voice calm and even.

"Ichigo? Sorry for calling so late, it's Morgan."

"Hey, what's up?"

"I uhh... I burned myself making some hot chocolate, it's pretty bad. Do you know any doctors around here?"

"My dad actually, umm, head to the cafe, I'll meet you there."

"Alright."

"Dad, that girl I walked home earlier, you're gonna meet her. She's got a burn she needs looked at."

"What? You're into the kinky stuff?"

"FOR GOD'S SAKE DAD! IF YOU KEEP THAT UP WHILE SHE'S HERE SHE'LL BE THE ONE KICKING YOUR ASS IN, NOT ME!"

"What haven't you told me?" Isshin wondered out loud. Ichigo began sweating, there was one way to clear this up.

"She was raped a couple months ago. She doesn't really trust men. So not one fucking word about sex, understand?"

Isshin placed a hand on his son's shoulder, and nodded in agreement, then set off to get the clinic ready for his pending patient.

Morgan waited outside the cafe, it had taken her a while to get her sweater done up. She had changed into blue jeans and a t-shirt. She nervously looked at her watch; it was 9:50 PM... Another ten minutes and it would be exactly two months to the minute that she had been attacked.

Her breathing was laboured at the very thought. Last month she had spent this evening fully alone, and now that she thought about it, she preferred it that way. She saw a mop of orange hair running her way, Ichigo.

"Morgan!" He shouted to her. The minutes were ticking by, and suddenly she was hit with a sudden feeling of pure terror and rage. Her facial expression changed, she began shaking, and she could've sworn she felt the colour draining from her face.  
What's wrong with her? Ichigo wondered as he reached her. She was going to collapse and she'd go down hard. With a final effort he was at her side, and managed to grab her before she slammed onto the pavement.


	6. Chapter 6

Her medium length hair was in her face, her breathing ragged, her eyes were fixed. Was she having a seizure? He didn't know, but thought the best thing would be to get her to the clinic fast as possible. He picked up the trembling girl in his arms and began running again, "Don't worry Morgan, you're going to be alright."

Morgan wheezed in response. Ichigo looked at the barely conscious girl in his arms, her chest was rising and falling, but it was laboured. _Oh shit, her asthma._

When Ichigo charged through the doors of his father's clinic. "Dad, something else is wrong with her," Ichigo shouted, alarmed.

Isshin rushed over and with one look guessed what was going on. "Put her on the stretcher," Isshin instructed as he set up the oxygen and placed the mask over her face, he injected her with a medication, and then examined the burn on her hand and wrist.

"It's bad, but it's still only second degree," he stated examining the blistering. He began rubbing a cream on the burn to ease the discomfort when she woke up.

At 11 pm, Morgan's eyes fluttered open, where was she and how did she get here? She realised she had an oxygen mask on her face; she had to be in the hospital. She looked around the room, monitors were beeping, she had a sensor on her finger to monitor blood oxygenation, and the electrodes on her chest were monitoring her heart beat. She looked over to her left, and gasped, Ichigo? Why was he still there? Hearing her gasp, Ichigo looked up from his Shakespeare novel "You're awake," he grinned.

Morgan gave him an inquiring look. "You're at my family's clinic. We were going to take hour long shifts watching you through the night in case you took a bad turn. I took first watch."

Another inquiring look. "Why not?" he rhetorically replied, to him it was simple. She was in rough shape and if she'd gotten worse she would've needed someone there to signal for his dad instantly to work on her while calling for an ambulance. Tears welled in her eyes and she looked away.

"Hey, I know you're upset with yourself for what happened, but you've gotta stop beating yourself up over it. You were just a kid and..." he stopped mid sentence before continuing, "Maybe I should take my own advice that I'm giving you."

Another inquiring look. "I was there when my mom died. You asked about spirits and ghosts... well I see them too. I've been able to see them for as long as I can remember. I see the good spirits, and the evil ones."

Another questioning look. "Spirits are either wholes or hollows. The way you described your dad, he seems like he's a whole. A hollow happens when the chain that binds them to this world is severed from their chest, and they develop a hole where their heart was. After that they begin eating other souls trying to fill the void they feel. That's how I met Rukia, she sees them too." He decided to leave out that he's a substitute Shinigami and that Rukia is a Shinigami from the Soul Society, figuring that'd be too much for her to take in at once.

At this point Morgan had tears falling from her eyes. Ichigo grabbed a Kleenex and handed it to her. She took it gratefully and dabbed the tears off her face.

"Anyway, from what you told me about your dad, it sounds like he's still a whole. Which is astounding, it usually takes a couple of months, maybe a year or so before a whole becomes a hollow unless it passes over. You think he stayed here to try and protect you, don't you?"

Morgan nodded. "My fault."

"Don't start that again."

"I lost my inhaler Ichigo. That day, I... I always carried it on me, in case I needed it. But that day, I had lost it while we were sledding. The back-up that Dad had on him was empty, so we were going to go to the hospital." Morgan looked up at the white ceiling and cringed. Ever since that day she'd hated hospitals.

She sat straight up in bed and removed the oxygen from her face, and began unhooking the electrodes and sensors that had her stuck in bed. Ichigo began freaking out "what are you doing? Stay in bed," Ichigo insisted as he rushed to reattach the machines pinning one of her arms down. She tried to fight him, but he was too quick for her.

Memories flashed through her mind, heart started racing again. No, no... This was Ichigo... Ichigo Kurosaki. He walked you home and sat in a cafe with you because he was worried about someone following you. Don't freak out. It isn't Nate. Calm center, calm center Morgan, focus. Focus on the present, the here and now. Don't focus on the past. Get through it soldier, come on.


	7. Chapter 7

"I can't stay here. The burn doesn't hurt anymore, I'm going."

"Are you kidding me? You passed out from lack of oxygen and you're going to leave just like that?"

"I've lived with it my whole life, I'll be fine," Morgan reassured as she stood up, she was surprised that her legs felt a bit weak. _It's just from the attack_ she told herself. In truth, she hadn't lived her whole life like this, only two months. He called it lack of oxygen; she knew it was really a panic attack. She had been having them since she was assaulted two months ago, but they only happened one day out of every month and lasted about an hour, the duration of the assault.

"Morgan, I don't know what happened, but I do know you're in a new city, in a new school, you're terrified out of your mind tonight for whatever reason. I know you don't like relying on others, but couldn't you use a friend close by tonight?" Ichigo asked. Her eyes fell, truthfully all she'd really wanted since it happened was a friend, but more than that, a reliable friend. All she had wanted was someone who was a friend and strong enough to stick with her through the worst of her inner whirlwind of emotions.

"I can't ask that of you," she breathed, once again, shame took a hold of her.

"You're not. I'm offering," Ichigo replied, his hands were at his side, no body language indicated that he was lying or holding back.

"why?"

Ichigo raised an eyebrow.

"Why do you care so damn much? You just met me two months ago."

"Cause even the stronger ones need someone to hold onto when things get difficult. Some of what you're experiencing, the self-doubt, the resolve to get through it on your own, the guilt over a parent's death, I've been there. Not the exact same experiences, but the emotions that followed certain events. I had Rukia, and a bunch of friends helping me through, it's the only way I survived. Since Rukia doesn't know, and won't unless you tell her... I want to be there for you if you'll let me."

They looked at each other's faces in total silence for what seemed like ages, before Ichigo said "Anyways, I'm gonna go get myself some water. Just promise you'll think about it."

"I will," she said. Soon as his back was turned, she curled up into a ball and allowed the silent tears to fall. She hadn't really trusted anyone since her father had died. But a lot of what Ichigo was saying made sense. She had been only a child, her mother shouldn't have blamed Morgan for her father's death. What's more, Morgan shouldn't blame herself for her father's spirit not being at rest. She blamed herself for not being able to stop the rape, but it had been five on one, not even close to a fair fight. Four of them pinned her while the others took turns. That night, she had lost her virginity, horribly enough. She couldn't think of anything worse, and silently wished to herself that she had died that night rather than surviving through it.

Now Ichigo wanted her to trust him. What if it was a trap? Could she take the chance? He seemed to have some kind of sense of honour, maybe she could trust him. There was only one thing she could think of that would help her regain her full confidence in men... if she did it with someone she could trust... but how do you ask someone for that without strings attached? Damn it. She allowed a sob to escape her mouth, before burying her face into the pillow.

"I take it Morgan's doing better," Rukia stated from the doorway, he knew she was there to relieve him from his post. When had said 'we were going to', he had meant himself, Rukia, Karin and Yuzu.

"How could you tell?"

"Her reiatsu, it's stronger now than when she first got here. She has an astonishing amount of it. Almost like your level."

"My reiatsu? You mean she has powers?"

"Most likely, but her soul... she's in a lot of pain."

"Yeah she's had it rough, if you want to know more, ask her about it," Ichigo stated as he finished his glass of water and put it in the sink before turning back towards the clinic.

"Hey wait! It's my shift."

"This girl needs more than just physical healing Rukia. Don't take this the wrong way, but you don't have the ... necessities to help her."

"Wait, what?" Rukia screeched. What the hell was that supposed to mean? His back was turned to her as he returned to the patient.

"Alright, if you're not decent, cover up, I'm coming back in," Ichigo called as he pulled back the curtain. Morgan hastily wiped away the fallen tears as she heard the curtain pull back, and then pulled closed once again.

"Morgan? You were crying weren't you?"

She bit her lip, and simply nodded. "Because of my offer?"

She nodded.


	8. Chapter 8

"The truth is, after it happened, I got checked for anything that could result physically... I'm clean, but I never spoke about what happened. I told the nurse I drank under age, had a drunken one night stand and didn't want to press charges. "

"Do you want to talk about it?" He offered. "You can tell me," Ichigo promised without having to say 'promise'.

Morgan thought for a moment... why not? "It was so stupid. I was at a party, but I didn't drink. I didn't do drugs... it was the first month that I was out on my own since turning sixteen. I was just there to dance and have some fun. I didn't dress the same way back then. I was in a tube top, and a mini skirt. Scantily clothed, I realise that now. It may have sent the wrong message. The party was dying down and I was heading home, these five guys from the party followed me. I tried to fight back at first, told them I wasn't interested, but they over powered me... took turns. I wasn't a virgin after that night."

Were his ears deceiving him? A virgin? She had lost her... oh god! He chose his next words carefully, "Morgan, it doesn't matter what you wear, or how you dance, if you were sending signals that were misunderstood, or not. You told them not to, and they should've respected that, regardless of those other things. Rape is never about sex. It's about violence and control. That's never right."

Morgan started to tremble. Ichigo wasn't sure what to do, he wanted to hold her and let her cry on his shoulder, he wanted to let her know she didn't have to bottle it in. She didn't have to put on a strong front. He didn't care how many tears he saw fall from her beautiful green eyes that were becoming enhanced by the conjunctivapart of her eyes becoming red from crying, he'd never forget how her elbow had broken Keigo's nose with minimal effort. He only knew of one other person who could do that to anyone, and that was Rukia. He'd never forget seeing her take on a man at least a foot and a half taller than her and with three quick moves and her sending that same man running and crying.

In his eyes, she was vibrantly strong woman, no matter how much she cried, or how broken she felt. Instead, he simply placed a hand on her shoulder, this time she didn't flip him. "It's alright Morgan, get it out."

Morgan, who normally felt so icy cold inside was warmed by his touch. She wanted more of that warmth. She reached towards him, and pulled him close in a hug. Ichigo froze at first, but quickly recovered from his initial shock as he hugged her back, one arm cradling her around the broad part of her back, and the other hand pressing against the back of her head, gently playing with her hair, a soothing motion he'd used when Karin had broken her leg but refused to cry. "You're not alone," he whispered in her ear.

Her hands clenched into fists against the fabric of his shirt. "I have to get home. My uniforms at home."

"Yeah, I wanted to ask about that..." he stopped afraid he'd ask something stupid.

"I was raped in a skirt, so when I registered with Karakura high, I told them that bit, and asked if I could wear pants instead. I feel safer like that."

Ichigo nodded, it made sense. "So that guy I saw you fight after school, was he one of..." he couldn't make himself say the word.

Morgan nodded "Yeah, that was Nate's brother, Zane."

She used their names she had known the guys who had attacked her. "Hey, if you want, I could send you home with Rukia, she told me earlier she'd be willing to. I know she looks small, but trust me, she can fight." Morgan looked up at Ichigo, was he blind?

"Uh, course you're kind of small yourself aren't you?"

Morgan nodded, a bit amused that he'd forgotten that. Morgan muttered something about 'silly' and 'safe' that he couldn't quite hear.

"I didn't quite catch that, what were you saying?" Ichigo asked her.

Morgan blushed as she repeated bit louder "It's kind of silly of you to expect Rukia to be okay about staying with me. Besides, I wouldn't want her with me, I'd want you. For the first time in a long time... longer than I can remember, I feel truly safe with someone."

Ichigo processed what she had just told him, then he blushed a bit, and a smile crept over his face. "Do you have a couch?"

"Don't be silly, take the bed; I'll sleep on the couch. I'm a better fit anyway," Morgan laughed. Ichigo chuckled at the idea of him being curled up like a cat on a girl's couch, he could see her point.

"Alright then. I'm just gonna go get Dad so he can check you before you leave."

"Alright."


	9. Chapter 9

Isshin agreed to let Ichigo spend the rest of the night with Morgan; however he had a hard time sleeping. Probably because of the strange room, and the strange bed, He'd brought his own pillow so there was something familiar. Something else too, sighing he pulled back the bed sheets and headed towards the bathroom.

"Can't sleep?" Came Morgan's voice. Evidently she was having a hard time too. Ichigo, in his boxers and undershirt with a bathrobe wrapped around him figured as long as he didn't get too close, she wouldn't think anything less of him.

"Nothing to be worried about. What about you?"

"Not on this night, not for three months."

Ichigo thought for a minute, then it made sense, the night of the actual attack she didn't sleep, and the last month on the same date she didn't sleep too well either, and now today on this date she wasn't sleeping. "How about I warm you up some milk?"

Morgan thought for a moment before shaking her head 'no'. "Ichigo, would you come here a moment?"

Ichigo sat on the couch by her feet, and looked at her, he suddenly felt nervous. "You know how you told me that I need to trust in others in order to get past this. That I can't do it alone. Well... you're right, I can't. Truth is the only thing I can think of that would be able to help requires someone I can trust at some degree, and who wouldn't get too wrapped up in it."

Ichigo's stomach flipped, was she going where he thought she was going?

"Ichigo, I trust you... enough to not only let you in here, but to spend the night." She grasped his hand, electricity seemed to shoot through his body, he almost moaned at her touch.

"Big step from earlier today."

Morgan laughed a bit, "Yeah I guess. The truth is I... I've told more to you than to any of my friends back home, and I don't know why. Something about you disarms me completely."

Ichigo blushed at this. "Ichigo... I'm gonna ask something personal, I hope you don't mind."

Ichigo knew what was coming, he always hated answering.

"Have you ever... been with someone?"

Ichigo blushed a little bit, far less than he had anticipated blushing, clearing his throat he replied, "No. No I haven't."

Morgan chose her next words carefully, "if you think about it, I haven't either. Not in a way that actually counts. I'm hoping that, at some point you'll agree to be the first. I don't mean now. I mean I... I probably wouldn't be able to right now, I'd be too nervous, but... at some point, before I leave Karakura."

Ichigo looked at her for a moment, was she for real? She wanted to... with him... to get over... well in a way it sort of did make sense. In a twisted, seriously twisted way, it made perfect sense.

Ichigo felt something pressing against his stomach even more than it had earlier. The bathroom, he needed to.

"Excuse me a minute," Ichigo pleaded as he went to get up. Morgan grasped his wrist. "I may have been an actual virgin before... but I did do other stuff with my ex. I know what you're hiding under that robe. If you want... I could take care of it for you."

Ichigo stopped trying to get to the bathroom. "You sure?"

"I offered, didn't I?"

"It's just... I thought that with your experience you'd... well, not want to see it never mind... anything else."

"It's true I wouldn't want to see just anyone's. But you're different. Even from the guys back home. You're not driven by sex; you control your hormones to the best of your ability. You don't let arousal over ride your composure. I just met you two months ago, and already you've shown me more kindness in two months then I've known in the last five years. Let me do something for you."

Ichigo thought for a moment. He couldn't could he? She was offering, but still... they barely knew each other, and he got the feeling she'd been mistreated in more ways than she let on.

"I...It's..." he was struggling to find the words. "It's not that I don't want to. I don't want to do this and then scare you away. I don't want you to think negatively about me."

"You won't. You asked me to trust you. Trust me in return."

She had him cornered, he knew it. Either out right refuse her, or accept the offer.

"Ichigo," Morgan sighed as she brought her free hand up to his face, again the electricity. "I want to," she said. With that she took a bigger chance, pulling his face towards hers, she kissed him.


	10. Chapter 10

He felt the electricity between them, his face flushed at all of the lust and trust that he felt in that kiss. She didn't love him; she couldn't let herself love him. But she wanted to satisfy him best as she could.

"Okay," came his reply.

Morgan didn't waste any time, she untied his bathrobe and began massaging his throbbing member through the boxers. Ichigo couldn't help but gasp at her touch. Just that alone... he didn't get this much sensation from masturbating.

"Let me sit down," he requested. She moved back on the couch, making room for him to sit, as he moved her hand didn't leave him.

"I figured we'd start off slow, and work our way through intensity."

"Okay... ya know, I've..." he stopped mid sentence.

"You've never gotten a hand job before?"

Ichigo shook his head 'no'. Morgan hesitated on continuing. "If you're not sure about this, let me know. I don't want you to regret this later."

"I want it," was his only reply as he held her hand on his erection and thrusted his hips up into her hand. "Please".

Morgan fulfilled his request, freeing the six inches of him from the constraining boxers, then starting at the tip, she worked her way down the shaft, down to the base, she then moved her hand back up, used the palm of her hand on the tip in a circular motion before heading back down again. She started off slow then gradually picked up speed. Ichigo's breath was caught in his throat, his eyes were closed and the only noises he made were animalistic grunts and moans. It didn't take long before he was uttering the words "I'm gonna come... oh god, Morgan, I'm gonna come!"

With a grunt, and his toes curling the white hot load spurted from him and onto his stomach. He leaned back on the couch in perfect bliss. Not regretting a second of it. But something startled him, Morgan had gotten some kleenex and was cleaning up his spill when she started crying, but they were silent tears, and she was smiling.

"Morgan, what's wrong? Please tell me," Ichigo demanded he was out of his mind with worry that he'd made a horrible mistake.

"Nothing's wrong. Everything's fine, Ichigo. When you came, I wasn't scared. I wasn't afraid at all. Even when you were in the throws, I wasn't afraid that you'd over power me. Thank you."

A smile crept across his face, "that's my line," he half joked, pulling her face close, kissing her. As he pulled away he whispered "Thank you for trusting me. But I'm wondering one thing."

"What's that?"

"Do you trust me enough to return the favour?"

Morgan smiled shyly, "well, we could try, if it wasn't so late."

He looked over at the clock on her stove, it wad 3 am, and they had school tomorrow. He cupped her face in his hands and kissed her deeply, passionately, lustfully hoping he could convey how much he wanted to. She took the message, and blushing she said "Maybe we could try it after school."

He groaned, but he took her hint. She'd just calmed him down and didn't want to get him going again so soon. "Could I just hold you for a bit then?" He inquired. She smiled, and curled her tiny frame close to him, her arms wrapped around him, as she listened to his heart beat. After that, Ichigo and Morgan had no issues falling asleep.


	11. Chapter 11

Ichigo got dressed and headed to school a bit ahead of Morgan the next morning, kissing her swiftly before he left, so he "kept tonight on his mind" he had left her apartment. Ichigo knew that what was going on between them wouldn't last, and at this point, he didn't really care. She was relearning to trust, in a very intimate way, and he would be getting in some practice to make the real object of his desire scream.

He knew she wasn't aware, but it was only natural he'd go for her, she knew him better than anyone else, and had never ran from him. Not even when he had his hollow mask on. Now he sat in class and Keigo was jumping all over the place, arms flailing rambling on about something or other, Ichigo wasn't honestly paying attention. Morgan entered the class room in her usually blouse and trousers.

"Morgan!" Keigo shouted Ichigo moved to intercept him, and hold him back.

Rukia was suddenly infront of Morgan, and with one firm punch, Keigo was on the floor again, a bruise on his left cheek.

"Nice one," Ichigo stated, smiling shyly at the raven-haired Shinigami.

"He deserved it. Besides, Morgan made it clear yesterday that she didn't like males acting that way around her, so I figured I'd give her elbow an easier time and throw a few myself."

Ichigo chuckled at this. "Umm, thanks Rukia," Morgan piped up.

Rukia smiled at the girl. Orihime was behind Morgan, with her newest dessert invention, leak cake with chocolate icing. Even Rukia had a look of disgust on her face that she couldn't fully mask, and Ichigo seemed ready to vomit. Orihime then offered a slice to Morgan, as a 'welcome to our class' sort of thing. Morgan politely declined explaining that she and cake don't mix too well.

"Oh okay, I'll bring some cookies on Monday then," Orihime replied bubbly as ever, she waved to Ichigo who waved back.

Morgan focused on the class that day, but Ichigo couldn't, his mind kept wandering off to after school. The hollow alarm went off. Ichigo leapt up from his seat and ran out of the classroom muttering something about 'bathroom'. Morgan looked out the window, and from where she was sitting, she could see him running with a black komodo and a giant weapon his back that appeared to be bandaged up. A sudden memory flashed in her mind, she was being chased by a monster back home, suddenly there was a black butterfly in front of her, and it transformed into a man wearing a black komodo. He drew a sword and with a single move sliced the monster in half, it disappeared, and so did the man, the black butterfly was now visible again and flew off.

_No way,_ Morgan thought. _Ichigo couldn't be like that guy that saved me as a child, could he?_ As she kept watching, she saw him return back to the school grounds, but he appeared to be injured. With that, Morgan left the class to use the bathroom, but waited outside the boy's room. When Ichigo appeared, kind of hunched over, she grasped him under his arms and asked to see his wounds. He looked at her inquisitively, but obliged, showing a piercing wound in his abdomen. Nothing a school nurse could do about that. But she had discovered years ago that she possessed an unusual ability, placing her hand so that it hovered just over the wound, she closed her eyes and focused her mind on how his abdomen had looked last night.

A violet aura emitted from her, and began healing the gash. Ichigo was astounded, Rukia had been right, her spiritual pressure was strong. Then again, why did that astound him? She was usually right about such things. The searing pain subsided, and the wound stopped bleeding. There'd be a scar, but at least now he didn't have to worry about ruining his white shirt. "Thanks Morgan," Ichigo responded, once she had finished healing him, but he was taken back by the sight before him, she was pale again, her breathing was almost as badly laboured as it had been the night before.

"Morgan?"

She braced herself against a wall, hand to her head as though it was painful, but she managed to answer him. "Don't worry, I'll be fine. I can heal wounds, but it tires me out. That's all," she smiled as she watched his concern fade.

"I'll just grab a catnap at lunch, no big deal. You should probably head back in first."

"Right. Catch you later."

Ichigo entered the classroom, Morgan let herself go as she slid down the wall and coughed lightly, when she had regained control over the coughing spasm, she looked at the palm of her hand, blood. That wasn't good, she was running out of time faster than she thought, and Ichigo's wound had shortened her life by an unexpected amount. She knew more about her powers than anyone else who knew about them realised. She knew the power had been transferred to her by her father, the night of the accident. It had been her that died, and he had used his spiritual energy to heal her, at the cost of his own life.

She had used her ability only a few times, and only when she couldn't think of anything else to do. But each time she did, it drained her own life force. This was the same reason she had passed out last night in Ichigo's arms while waiting outside the cafe, she couldn't heal herself, only other people. Every year, at the same time, her vitals momentarily reverted back to where they were when her father saved her life. She checked to see if she was bleeding anywhere else when a drop of blood landed on her coat, bringing her hand up, she felt the dampness from her nostril, damn it. Out of options she went into the girl's washroom to try to control the bleeding, her own stomach was now hurting her.


	12. Chapter 12

Ichigo was sitting in class, but looking at Morgan's empty seat, and then looking up at the clock, where was she? He'd left her out in the hall about ten minutes ago. He hoped she was alright.

In the girl's washroom, Morgan was struggling to keep control of her condition and it was fatiguing her further. She looked in the mirror, her skin was almost ashen and her lips had turned blue. 'Great,' she thought choking on the mucous that was filling her lungs.

The bell rang and as they packed up to move to their next class, Ichigo grabbed Rukia's arm, "Hmm?" escaped her lips as she turned.

"You're worried about Morgan?"

"Yeah, she said she'd be right behind me, but she isn't."

"Alright, I'll look."

Rukia figured the one place Ichigo couldn't get into was the girl's washroom so she started there, soon as she entered, she dropped her book bag and rushed over to the limp ragdoll's side.

"Morgan?" She inquired.

Morgan struggled to open her eyes, succeeding but only for a moment. Rukia knew she had to act fast, grabbing her by the shirt collar; she dragged her into one of the stalls and closed the door in case someone else came in. After a quick incantation, a green Kidou light began to shine over Morgan. Slowly her reiatsu began to stablize, and she began to look a bit better. "What caused this?" Rukia asked her.

"Ichigo was injured, I healed him. But when I heal people, it drains my life force. Essentially I lend them my own life force at my own expense."

Rukia could feel the anger brewing inside of her at the idea that someone would risk doing that for a simple injury. _Great, now there's two idiots._ She thought to herself.

"I got this power from my father, he used it to save me, and it killed him," Morgan mumbled.

Rukia's eyes widened, did she just say what she thought she said?

"So, without this power, you'll die?"

"Without this power I am dead, yes."

"Then why use it?"

"Sometimes injuries are severe and there's no time for anything else. So I take a risk."

"Did you tell Ichigo when you healed him?"

Morgan shook her head, "No I didn't. I want your word you won't tell him either. Healing isn't my primary ability. As I said, it was a power given to me when my father sacrificed himself to preserve me."

Rukia hesitated then nodded "Promise, I won't tell. As long as you don't hurt yourself this bad again, my Kidou almost couldn't heal you, and I'm not the best healer in the soul society."

"I feel a lot better now Rukia, thank you."

"Thank Ichigo, he asked me to look for you," Rukia retorted, as her facial expression turned sour, she rose to her feet and left the bathroom.

Morgan blushed at that. Remembering that the bell had rang she rose to her feet and left to go grab her things from the classroom, only to find Ichigo waiting outside holding her stuff. "Spill it," he stated. She knew what he was referring to, and blushed even deeper.


	13. Chapter 13

Ichigo sat across from her on the roof of the school, having just heard the full explanation for why she blamed herself for her father's death, Ichigo was almost at a loss for words, his fists were clenched, and his jacket was unzipped despite the winter cold.

"So you mean when you healed me after I fought the hollow... you could've died?"

Morgan nodded slowly, "And when you found me almost dead last night... every year the exact date and time of the accident, my vitals slow for almost an hour. I'll never die during it, but it's like I'm cursed to physically experience it every year. I don't know why it happens, I just know I won't die from it."

Ichigo closed his eyes, trying to fight back the anger he felt, "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't say anything, because I didn't know last night that you were a soul reaper."

_What did she say?_

"In case you're wondering how I knew, I saw you leaving to fight the hollow. I've been protected by soul reapers since the accident, but more than that... my father was one. He was banished from the soul society for the experiments he performed on himself. Since he only experimented with his own soul and no one else's, I don't fully understand what happened... something to do with the cycle of rebirth... But he won't be coming back. Not unless he's found."

"Found? What do you mean?"

"My mother blames me for his death, but he isn't actually dead... not fully at least. He's a hollow, but unlike other hollows, he... he still has control."

Ice ran down Ichigo's spine. Her father was an in control hollow? It sounded almost like Vizard.

"Does your father carry a sword?"

"No. I know what you're thinking, he isn't a vizard. He's... something else entirely. The only thing human left about him is his self control."

"I'm not a soul reaper," Ichigo stated suddenly. She looked at him with her expression questioning what he'd just said "I'm a Vizard."

Morgan looked at him, "show me."

Ichigo sat there stunned "what?"

"Show me."

"Why the hell would you want to see that?"

Morgan smiled, "I'll show you mine then."

Ichigo couldn't take his eyes off her as she moved to the center of the roof top, she took out a small green pill from her pocket, a soul candy?

She popped it in her mouth, and suddenly her spirit form came forward, separating shell and essence. Ichigo was sweating at this point. She then did something that he didn't expect at all, bringing one hand up to the side of her face, she glared right at him as her features began to change, and a hollow mask appeared. Her once green eyes became hot pink, the mask was mostly white with violet stripes going diagonally across the face, the mouth was permanently in a growling expression, jagged teeth bared.

"This is my true form," Morgan stated, her voice was filled with hatred and rage, it didn't sound like the tough, but sweet Morgan he'd grown to know over the last two months.

"I showed you mine, why won't you show me yours?"

Ichigo stood up, walking over to her, he reached for her mask, his fingers ran along the line separating the mask and her skin. "If you want the mask gone, I can..."

"No. I want to... I... I had no idea that you..." he didn't finish his sentence as he lifted the mask with ease, her pink eyes reverted back to green. "How did you..."

"Like I said, my father was a soul reaper. He started training me as soon as I could walk. After he died, my mother sent me to my aunt for two reasons, one she wanted me out of her life, two my aunt could continue the training. I operate outside the soul society. In their eyes, I'm a criminal. I'm dangerous. But the truth is, I'm not. My aunt died when I was eleven, and left her daughter behind. You already know her, Ichigo. Her name's Ururu, from Urahara's shop. The actress thing is something I tell people who aren't soul reapers, you deserve to know the truth. The truth is, I try to stay close to Urahara, he raises Ururu because I'm not sure I could. Tessai is her godfather anyway. By default, he has the responsibility. Between what my father left, and what my aunt left, I've gotten by on my own just fine. But that doesn't stop Urahara from trying to insist that I move in with them at the shop. I don't want to though."

"Why not?"


	14. Chapter 14

She was about to answer when her eyes narrowed, although she hadn't seen her little cousin in years, Morgan still knew that reiatsu... Ururu. She was being chased. Morgan apologized to Ichigo before taking off using shunpo to reach Ururu faster.

"Hey wait!" Ichigo called after her, no use she was already out of ear shot. _Damn it, she's going to get killed_, Ichigo thought in fear as he used his shunpo to follow her.

Ururu was being chased by a hollow, but unlike the other times when Ururu had the physical ability to harm hollows, this one she couldn't even touch. This hollow had a near human face, if it hadn't been for the mask, its feet resembled lion paws and its body was like a chameleons, complete with the tail. Ururu was cornered, she tried one last time to kick the hollow, which swiped at her and knocked her to the side. Morgan landed from the last shunpo right above Ururu. She only had a few seconds. She drew her Zanpakuto, "Perimeter Shugoyuki" she commanded as she threw the Zanpakuto between the hollow and Ururu.

It planted its self firmly in front of Ururu and instantly a pink force field formed around her, though the Hollow tried to break it, the force field remained.

"Forget it," Morgan's voice boomed towards them. "You'll never break that barrier, the only way Shugoyuki will stand down is if you finish me off. Before that happens, I have every intention of taking the largest piece of you with me that I possibly can. Last time we danced I did manage to wound you. I was a lot younger then and as I've aged, my power has grown. Let's see what'll happen when we tango this time," her eyes were nothing more than slits, she had no intention of allowing the hollow to get away. Ururu would be freed of her constant need for protection, she'd see to that.

She leapt down off her perch on a roof top, to the road behind the Hollow, her brown hair flowed in the breeze, until she landed on both feet. "Come n get me, if you dare," she challenged. "Foolish soul reaper, you've discarded your weapon, how are you expecting to defeat me," the twisted voice inquired.

"Easily," Morgan replied. Her green eyes reflected determination. She positioned herself appropriately for what she was about to do, "Bankai."

Ichigo arrived to see Ururu behind some kind of force field, and a whirl of pink and white reiatsu form around a soul reaper he could only guess was Morgan. When the swirling stopped, her outfit had changed, originally it had been something like you'd see at a karate dojo, but now she wore what could only be described as a pink and purple stripped evening dress, slits on both sides allowing for free leg movement, purple stilettos, and her hair was held up by pink handled chopsticks. He also noticed that she had her hollow mask on. It dawned on him then who the hollow must be, and why Ururu was behind a force field, the Zanpakuto that seemed to be generating the shield had a pink and purple striped hilt. No doubt it belonged to Morgan.

"You expect to defeat me like that?" The hollow inquired.

"Shut the hell up and make a move."

The hollow charged at her, Morgan leapt up, removing one chopstick from her hair, she expanded it so it became a dagger, and with one stabbing motion she had thrusted the dagger through the hollow's mask, with one swift motion she brought the dagger down.

"Rest in peace now," Morgan prayed, as the hollow disappeared. She relinquished the inner hollow, and her eyes were once again a vibrant green while she looked at Ururu, "Hey kid, are you alright?"

Ururu nodded in response, wondering who this person was. Morgan smiled, though her heart ached. She wished she could tell Ururu, but for her own safety she said nothing as she removed the Shugoyuki from its place in the ground and replaced it in its sheath, with this single action the force field disappeared.

"Who are you?" Ururu asked, her voice was so timid, nothing at all like the loud howling infant she remembered.

"Just call me a friend of Urahara's," Morgan replied, a small smile on her face as she spoke. "I'm sorry if I scared you with the mask," Morgan continued as she knelt to the girl's eye level. "That hollow and I had a history. I would've felt disrespectful if I hadn't gone at it full strength."

Ururu blushed a little "You didn't scare me. It's strange, but you seem familiar somehow."

Panic stirred in Morgan Oh god, I hope she doesn't remember. "You probably saw me before when you were a lot younger, you just don't remember," Morgan hopefully offered an explanation. "Maybe," Ururu agreed.

"Are you okay getting home from here?" Morgan asked.


	15. Chapter 15

"Yes, thank you," Ururu replied as she left.

When she was out of ear shot Morgan sighed and said "Alright Ichigo, come on down, I've known you were there the whole time."

Ichigo didn't waste a second. "So you didn't tell her huh?"

Morgan's eyes were filled with tears as she answered, "No. Why should I? It would only bring her deeper into that darkness that she always feels."

"So what does your bankai do anyway?"

"Increases my senses to provide defence for any nearby observers, it also increases my attack strength both martial art and demon arts."

"So it wasn't just for show?"

"Why? Did it do something for you?"

Ichigo didn't respond, so her eyes travelled down a bit and seeing the tent she smirked. "Hmm, I see. Let's get back to our bodies."

Later that night they were back at Morgan's apartment, Ichigo having told his family that she was still feeling a bit shaky this time Isshin had given his son three condoms to take with him. The fifteen year old had been embarrassed, but didn't object, knowing that if he did, he'd only spark a series of further fights, besides he might need them, he wasn't sure. Rukia had made some remark about getting his dick sucked, he wasn't certain if she was just teasing him, or... if she could be jealous of the time he'd been spending with Morgan. He made a mental note to talk with her about it when he got back home.

Ichigo was still finding out a lot about Morgan, like she was allergic to fish, and as such rarely ate out while living in Japan, but she could cook, and since Ichigo had mentioned that he liked spicy food tonight they'd had butter chicken curry, a dish she learned to cook from an Indian friend.

Now they sat on the couch, watching a movie, Ichigo's arm was drapped around her shoulders, and slowly she cuddled into him. Since he had liked the way her bankai looked, she was wearing a green and white floral dress, similar to her bankai's, with the same slits on both sides, which allowed free leg movement, she admitted to Ichigo that she hadn't worn the dress in a few months, but he thought she was stunning in it. She had even done up her hair for him, and walked around the apartment in white stilettos. Ichigo wondered who was going to make the first move tonight.

In a way she had last night, and it wasn't that he didn't want to mess around, but he didn't want to scare her. Her hand landed on his stomach, making him even more excited. _God, this is torture. I'd rather fight Kenpachi again then sit still any longer... only touching her in a platonic sense_, Ichigo thought to himself.

As though she read his mind, Morgan allowed her hand to slide down lower, and she could feel his excitement through the fabric of his jeans. Ichigo shifted his gaze to face hers, she was smiling at him as she straddled him. "I think last night you asked me something about how much do I trust you?"

"Something like that..." Ichigo replied, his sentence cut short by her lips capturing his, Ichigo responded to her kiss, placing one hand on her waist, and another on the back of her neck, wanting to feel her body right up against his. They moved to the bedroom, where on her bed, he continued to kiss her, with each kiss he could feel her tense body relax more and more "don't be afraid of me, Morgan. I wouldn't hurt you. Hell, I'd hurt anyone who hurt you."

Morgan adverted her eyes, and Ichigo chuckled his amber pools dancing with amusement, "Nah, not because of what we do behind closed doors, because I want to. You've spent the last five years of your life looking out for others, without anyone backing you. Let me be a friend and look out for you."

"You are a friend, Ichigo. You're a special friend. I'll let you watch my back if I can watch yours."

He smiled, "Deal." They sealed the pact with a kiss. "So, I'm curious Mr. Kurosaki, what do you know about pleasuring women?"

Ichigo blushed, "Not a whole lot just what I've seen ..." he stopped mid sentence.

"Seen in pornography?" Morgan giggled a little at his innocence.

"Why are you laughing at me?"

"I'm not, I'm laughing with you. You're just so shy and innocent, it's cute," she said as she began sucking his pulse point to ease his worry. She felt him relax and exhale as she focused on his neck.

Next she took his hand, "Start with one finger, and go from there," She directed as she led his hand up her skirt to her most intimate parts. Ichigo gently placed a single finger inside her, seeing her reaction wasn't one associated with her negative past, he relaxed more, and became amazed at how wet and warm she was.

For a moment he thought of putting his erection inside her, and moving around in that wet warmth, the idea made his condition even more severe. Morgan seemed to know this as she moved to remove the offending material from him. Once again, her electric touch surged through him. "Just move your fingers in and out," Morgan coached.

"try adding a second finger."

He obeyed and she gasped at the sensation. "Try to manuver your thumb to rub against my clit," she instructed. Again, he obeyed with a gentle but constant contact. She was using the same technique on him as last time, though it was different from his own it still felt amazingly good.

In a short time both of them were groaning and moaning, their climax hit in unison. "You're a fast learner," Morgan panted. Ichigo looked up at her, smiling a bit at her compliment.

"Yeah, I always was." Then he started moving his fingers inside of her again, "You want another round?"

Morgan's eyes closed, as she leaned back on the mattress, Ichigo climbed ontop of her, still massaging her velvet core with two fingers, but he interlocked his free hand with her hands, not wanting her to touch him a second time. "I wanna even things up," he explained. Although he knew this would arouse him again, he figured he could endure a painful erection if it meant getting her off a second time, hell that alone might make him cum again. Her moans and sighs were like a melody in his ears, a melody that he could listen to forever.


	16. Chapter 16

That weekend Morgan spent filming the action flick that had brought her to Karakura town, Ichigo and Rukia were allowed on set, as long as they kept out of the way of the camera crew and the director.  
One scene required her to be pinned down, she had been nervous about the scene, she had confessed that to Ichigo during one of their 'hang outs'. When the time came, the second that she was pinned down, she started flashing back in her mind to that night.

_"Quit squirming maggot bitch!" Zane yelled as he punched her eye. She lost the edge she had gained and fell back onto the pavement with a sickening 'crack'. The back of her skull had fractured a bit. _

_"Zane! Stop it man, you'll kill her before we get a chance," Nate had pleaded._

_"Nate! You absolute bastard! How could you? I thought you we were friends. How can you participate in this? How could you?" Morgan raged, she knew she was crying, she didn't care anymore. She struggled against the two men that held her arms down, trying to get at something, anything that would make them lose grip on her. Her efforts were in vein. _

_"HELP ME! For god's sake someone help!"_

_It was Nate's turn to hit her, a punch to the stomach knocked the air out of her, and then a gag was placed over her mouth by Nate. The same Nate she'd grown up with, and sometimes called 'brother'. She closed her eyes and tried to disconnect from any and all emotions within her body. When the last of them had finished, Nate removed the gag from her mouth. _

_"Motherfucker," Morgan uttered, barely above a whisper. Nate had leaned in towards her, she had closed her eyes and looked the other way. She didn't look back until she felt the gag removed from her mouth and she heard footsteps walking away, out of the ally from behind her apartment that she had been planning to share with Nate, two years older than her. When she looked back to where Nate had been, there was a cell phone. _

_She realised he'd planned for her to use it to call an ambulance for herself. Rage, shame, and humiliation washed over her, the tears began to fall harder and faster, a knot formed in her throat. When she opened her mouth, all that escaped from her lips was an animalistic roar of anguish, sorrow, and regret tinged by a few loud sobs. She gathered herself up and went to a former friend's house, she'd say had blacked out, and that she'd fallen down some stairs after willingly having sex. Could she get a ride to the hospital just to make sure that the pain and dizziness she felt was nothing serious. She wouldn't breathe a word to anyone about what really happened._

Morgan was screaming, flailing her arms, and kicking with primal instinct, trying to force her co star off of her.

"Cut! Cut!" screamed the director, the co star released Morgan, who immediately scrambled to her feet. "MacKenzie what the hell?"

Morgan didn't answer, she ran for the nearest garbage pile and emptied the contents of her stomach. "What the fuck, are you pregnant?"

Morgan shook her head 'no', as she focused on her breathing, trying to settle her frazzled nerves.

Ichigo approached the director, as he was telling Morgan to take a sedative and get back on set. "Excuse me sir, if it's possible, could I talk to Morgan alone? Just for a few minutes, I think I know what's bothering her. In fact, I'm certain I do. I can help her."

"What are you gonna do kid? Bone her?"

"What? No. It is a private matter, but I know how to calm her."

"Fine. Ten minutes."

Morgan was shaking like a leaf, her face was pale, and her eyes were wide with horror. It appears, she'd learned enough to trust Ichigo, but other men were still an issue for her.

"Morgan?" She wanted to look up but she was too embarrassed to.

"Don't be embarrassed Morg," Ichigo coaxed, hooking a finger under her chin and bringing her head up to meet his eyes. "It's alright. Let's go in your trailer for a minute okay?"

Morgan nodded.

Ichigo helped her to her feet and into the trailer, closing the door behind them both. He turned to her, she didn't look any better.

"You were remembering, weren't you?"

Morgan nodded, her eyes fixed dead ahead. How pathetic. She could destroy hollows in a single motion, she had faced off against demons including her own inner hollow, and done it with minimal assistance. Yet this... this was just different. She always felt strong, confident, and sexy when she protected someone from a hollow. There was nothing strong, confident, or sexy about what had happened to her as just an average teenager.

"I'm pathetic for letting it bother me. It's past. Can't change that right?"

"Right. Morgan... We've gone over this scene at your apartment a dozen times. Just imagine your co star is me, we're in bed... I'm starting to do something you're not comfortable with, grab my hand, flip me over, and tell me no."

Morgan looked at him her scepticism was evident, "You really think that'll work?"

Ichigo shrugged, "It's worth a shot." His hands were at his sides, there was no nervousness to what he said, for whatever reason, his body language said that he thought it would work.

Morgan nodded, "Okay, I'll try."

Ichigo reached his arms out to her, she welcomed them willingly. Wrapped in those arms, she felt safe, listening to his heart beating under the shirt and skin, she relaxed, her breathing calmed, colour returned to her face.

"I'm ready to give it a second try," she said confidence saturating the statement. When they emerged from the trailer, Morgan was radiating strength and self reliance once again.

"Got your shit together MacKenzie? Otherwise I'll have to get a stunt double."

"No need. I'm good," Morgan replied as she took her place. The scene went off without a hitch this time, Morgan kept to the script, and was able to flip the man up over her head.

Ichigo took his place next to Rukia on the side lines again. "She looks a lot better."

"Yeah, amazing what a little reassurance can do for someone."

"How long have you two been fucking?" Rukia asked bitterly, arms crossed over her chest, and looking at the ground.

Ichigo's eyes buldged within his skull at the question.


	17. Chapter 17

"Never mind, your face says it all," Rukia stated walking away before adding, "I'll see you back at the house, or school. Whichever comes first."

"Rukia wait, it's not what you think," Ichigo pleaded, chasing after her as Morgan's director yelled "Alright, that's a wrap. Pack it up and go home for the night guys."

"Rukia!" Morgan yelled trying to catch up to her and Ichigo, she could guess what had been said after her episode and she felt horrible. She wanted to try to help make things right between them, if she could. She had chosen Ichigo not only because she did trust him in the start, but also because he seemed to be single with no one seriously interested in him. She hoped now she hadn't misjudged. "Rukia!" Ichigo and Morgan screamed in unison. Rukia didn't turn around, instead she headed in the direction of Urahara's store. Maybe Yoruichi would be there. She just needed another woman to talk to at that point.

Morgan felt something hitting the back of her head, causing her to fall forward with a sharp outcry from the impact on her head. Ichigo and Rukia both stopped in their tracks and looked back. Morgan rolled over onto her back and looked up at her assailant. It was Zane. He brought the weapon, an iron crowbar, up over his head getting ready to strike again. Morgan waited until the last possible second before rolling to her left until she was on her stomach, she got up to her feet, but Zane took the opportunity to grab her hair at the roots.

"You've kept running from us you little bitch. You know why Nate lured you to that party? Do you know why you were attacked? Nate owed me money. He couldn't pay me, so I made him chose, his life or your precious cherry."

Morgan didn't reply, she didn't let her emotions show.

"And now he's owing again... I wonder if I could locate that sweet delicious little cousin of yours. I hear she lives around here..."

His sentence was cut short by Morgan's hand wrapping around his throat and squeezing tightly, choking the air from him. "If you touch one hair on her head, I swear to god I'll gut you like a pig. Law be damned, I will fucking kill you if you take one step towards her, understand?"

Zane was amused by this, squeezing her wrists until she screamed, he laughed even harder "You don't have the strength."

Ichigo's fist landed square on Zane's solar plexus. Then there was a flurry of fists and legs as both Ichigo and Rukia unleashed a fury on Zane that Morgan had never before witnessed.

"What were you saying to her?" Rukia demanded.

"Fuck yourself kid."

Morgan snapped back to reality at those words, she grabbed Zane's balls and twisted them. He hollered in agony.

"You owe me and my friend here an apology," Morgan firmly ordered, not releasing her vice grip on him.

Ichigo had to keep his eyes away from where her attack was coming from. This woman was vicious, and he allowed himself to be so vulnerable with her? _I'm not a dick like this gutter rat_ Ichigo reminded himself. Zane still refused to give in "I didn't get your velvet goodness just once that night... I got it twice, after the boys were done. Including Nate."

Morgan didn't think it was possible for her to do, but she tightened her grip on his sensitive area, finally forcing an apology from him directed towards Rukia. "One other thing Zane, what kind of fucked up coward attacks a woman from behind. You want to fight, I'll fight. But don't be a fucking baby about it," Morgan spat. She had never been this livid in her life. Not even the night that Zane had shattered what remained of her innocence. "Get on your feet, you snivelling little maggot."

Zane didn't move. Morgan saw a bit of his exposed flesh that she could easily attack. A swift kick to the lower back with another demanding "Get up."

"Rukia, Ichigo... I appreciate what you've done here, but this is my fight. It isn't just about me anymore," Morgan informed them, shooting a smile at each.

Ichigo nodded, and signalled for Rukia to join him on the side lines. "What's that about?"

Ichigo just sat on the ground and decided he should keep an eye on her just in case she needed some help, "You know Ururu, from Urahara's shop?"

"Yeah, the little dark haired girl with pig tails. What about her?"

"She's Morgan's little cousin, her mother's side. When Morgan's aunt died, while Ururu was a baby. Morgan saved her and gave her to Urahara who promised to protect her. Demons and such are easy to do. However Morgan's the only one who knows who did that thing to her, she's the only one who can protect Ururu from it."

"So that guy threatened Ururu, and now Morgan wants his head? She's a lot like you Ichigo."

Ichigo couldn't help but smile at her having caught what she meant, "Yeah, a bit too much like me. She's a great friend but I could never be in love with her. She knows that. What we do, Rukia... it's just to help her, nothing to be jealous of."

Rukia smiled, "I should've known. I'm sorry I said those things Ichigo."

He chuckled at her "Geez, you silly midget."


	18. Chapter 18

Morgan had managed to beat Zane until blood oozed out of his nose and mouth, she was certain she'd cost him a few teeth in the process and likely broke his nose, either way he wouldn't be bragging about who beat him up. To be safe she asked Ichigo and Rukia to have Urahara contact her, saying he'd know how without involving Ururu, she didn't care who delivered the message as long as it got to Urahara. Now Ichigo sat in her apartment cleaning the scraped flesh on her fists where she connected with Zane's mouth.

"Ichigo, about Rukia..."

"We're fine now. Had a little chat while you were pummelling Zane into the pavement," he replied.

"If you want to stop what we're doing, we can."

Ichigo looked into her eyes, those same deep green eyes that had him wrapped around her finger since he'd met her. The only comparison was Rukia's. He and Rukia were similar, but different enough that a relationship would stand a chance.

_'Ichigo if it'll help her, then great. Just as long as you let me know if things take a serious twist and I can brace myself for it, it's okay. You're human, I'm not. It's expected you'd get these feelings and urges and want to act on them. It's not like we'd have a future anyway.'_

Ichigo took Morgan's injured hands into his own, and gently massaged his thumbs along her thumbs. "Morgan, I don't want to stop. We both know what this is, we know it isn't going anywhere. As long as we're honest about our feelings with each other, I have no problems with it," he promised.

Morgan nodded, quietly she thought to herself, _I do love you, Ichigo. I just can't afford to let you know, because it's too dangerous. Whatever you've been through, whatever you think you know... it's nothing compared to what I know. If it was made public that we were close, you'd be targeted._

"Ground control to Morgan?"

"Uhh, sorry..." she didn't have time to finish her sentence, his lips were on hers. He ran his tongue along her lips, again that same electrical surge. She granted him access, moaning into his mouth as he explored her. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer to her, deepening the kiss. Ichigo ran his hands up and down her back, pressing her closer to his body so she could feel his arousal.

"Wanna try something a bit different?" she asked in a husky tone. "Hmm... alright, what do you have in mind?"

She got down onto her knees in front of him, and unzipped his pants. Ichigo let out a gasp and as his throbbing member entered a warm wet area and slowly began pumping him, holding him tightly, and gradually picking up speed. Ichigo held onto the counter top for support as his head swam, he was approaching his release faster than he had with anything else "don't stop," he managed as his eyes shut lost in the sensation. He finished quicker than he had intended, which led to a combination of relief and frustration but he decided to take a humours approach to the situation, "Damn that tongue of yours Morgan."

She grinned up at him wickedly, her eyes were playful, and he realised then just how deep her trust in him had become. This was a side to her that she hadn't allowed to show before, and it intrigued him. Bringing her mouth back up to his own, he kissed her lips, even after what she had just done she tasted like peaches and cream, holding her in a close hug he caught a whiff of her shampoo, like wild flowers, it was intoxicating, he never wanted to let go.

Despite what he'd thought when they had originally started this, he was falling for her, though he wouldn't admit it to himself never mind her. There was no point, in another two months the portion of the movie that they were filming would be done, and he'd never see her again. The thought almost made him cry.


	19. Chapter 19

Ichigo and Morgan had fallen asleep on the couch watching a horror movie that she had picked out, she was wakened by thirst and headed to the kitchen for a glass of water. Ichigo almost looked out of place on her couch, like he belonged in heaven rather than earth. Even in his sleep he held her in a protective manner. She felt a pang of regret as she realised how much she was going to hurt him when she left. She had told him it was due to the movie she was filming, but that wasn't true.

The truth was, she was planning to go after the man whom her father had worked with in the Soul Society, she'd heard that he betrayed the soul society and was no longer an active officer. What's more, she knew that both Ichigo and his father believed that they'd defeated him, but she knew the power of his Zanpakuto, and knew that anyone who'd seen it used, even in battle fell under its hypnotic spell. For whatever reason, that she had never understood, the last time she encountered this man, she was immune to it, he had commented on how strong willed she was and had left her alive to see how much stronger she could become, rather than end her life then and there.

"It'd be boring if I killed you and didn't at least give you a chance to develop your powers a little more."

Her fists clenched as she remembered his words, in that sickening voice that made her stomach churn, she willed herself to stop thinking about him, and his role in her past, otherwise she'd wind up breaking the glass she currently held in her hand.

A new feeling over took her, it was cold as ice, and the spiritual pressure was unlike anything she had felt in a while. _Oh no_, was her last thought before a giant hand broke through the glass window and started searching for someone to grab.

"Ichigo wake up!" she screamed running towards him. His eyes fluttered open to see Morgan's panicked face running towards him, grabbing one hand she pulled him up to his feet, "c'mon get back," she urged.

The hollow roared in anger as they moved away from it. "What the hell?" Ichigo managed.

"Uh probably not the best time to bring it up but umm, I know one of the souls in that hollow," Morgan replied.

"Who?"

"Remember I told you I had an ex? We didn't break up, he uh... he was devoured."

"Who the hell do you know who isn't a hollow or been attacked by a hollow?"

"Nobody."

_Great_, Ichigo thought in dismay. The hand then went towards her trying to grab her, Morgan jumped backwards landing on the dining room table. She jumped sideways and landed back on the carpet. _To hell with it, that thing might have Austin's soul, but it isn't Austin. _She popped the soul candy and went into soul reaper form. Ichigo used his substitute soul reaper badge and also became his soul reaper alter ego.

"Listen up Ichigo, this thing has a hypnotic ability not so dissimilar from Aizen's. Except it doesn't use a Zanpakuto. I won't force field you in case I fall under its spell, but just know no matter what it shows you, what it tries to convince you, it has to be destroyed. No matter what the cost."

Ichigo looked over at her, that same determined look, the same look she had when protecting Ururu. "Alright."

The battle didn't last long between Zangetsu and Shugoyuki the hollow was easily defeated. Ichigo looked at the time, he was going to be late for dinner at his house.

"I should probably get home," he informed her, returning to his body.

Morgan nodded, "Yeah, see you Monday," she replied as she sheathed her sword, and went back into her own body.

Ichigo hugged her, deeply inhaling the scent of her shampoo once more before he left.

"Well, well, seems to me like you've got a new lover boy," A voice behinder her remarked, the hint of a smirk evident in his tone. Her fists balled up, she hated when he snuck up on her like that.

"Shut it Kisuke."

"He doesn't know does he?"

"No. I told him I was here filming, and I'd have to leave in two months."

"Morgan, you could trust Ichigo to have your back in there."

Morgan sighed at this, "I know. That's not what I needed to talk to you about Kisuke. There's something personal that I needed to update you on. Ichigo's the only other one who knows, but there's been a threat made against Ururu, it's important you know."

"This have something to do with the guy that attacked you in front of Ichigo and Rukia?"

"That's exactly who it has to deal with. Ururu's a child, innocent, and unknowing of the harm she faces living in this world. Not the spiritual danger, but the human danger. The man that tried to beat me up... who the three of us wound up fighting with... raped me a few months ago. A stupid friend of mine got into some kind of debt and volunteered my innocence to pay it off. Now the guy he owes money to has threatened Ururu. Don't let her out of your sight."

Kisuke laughed, he pitied the guy.


	20. Chapter 20

"What the hell is so damned funny?" Morgan fumed.

Kisuke Urahara simply grinned behind his fan and stated that he felt a huge swell of pity for whomever raised a finger to harm Ururu. He'd have a team of soul reapers on his ass, and one very ticked off boy that also resided at the shop, Jinta, who'd become a bit brotherly to Ururu.

Morgan relaxed a bit, "As long as she's cared for and safe, that's all I care about."

"Ururu told me you fought a hollow in front of her, and asked who you were..." at that Morgan's blood became cold with fear, but she listened to the next bit. "I told her you were a former student of mine."

She relaxed a bit, while that was true, it was a half truth, and she appreciated his restraint. "Thank you," she replied.

"Hey Kisuke?"

"Morgan?"

"There's two things, first is I'm going to be leaving in a few days... I want you to take Scooter with you. I know I can trust you to take care of him. Second, is there anything you can do about my wall? My landlord's going to have my head on a silver platter," she joked.

Kisuke laughed a bit, "I'll see what I can do."

"Thanks again, Kisuke. For all you've done."

"Don't thank me just yet."

* * *

"No way!" Keigo was screaming, tears streaking down his face, he'd seen Ichigo walking out of Morgan's apartment complex. "Ichigo! What are you doing here? You asked her out didn't you? You two are always together now and it's driving me insane! First you take Orihime, then Rukia now you take Morgan, where does it end!"

"Keigo?"

"Yeah man, I heard that Morgan lives here, I thought I'd ask her out. But I show up here, and you're leaving her apartment building, what the hell?"

"I wouldn't ask her out Keigo," Ichigo replied.

"What? Why not? Are you gay?"

"Of course not! Her boyfriend died a bit back, she's still getting over it."

"You seem to know a bit about her Ichigo, why is that? How come women always confide in you?"

"It's because I'm not victim of my hormones and exercise self control. You should try it now and then," Ichigo replied without revealing a whole lot.

Ichigo and Rukia sat at the table at Urahara's shop along with Orihime, Chad, Renji and Uryuu, it was time for the weekly discussion concerning hollows and special missions from the soul society. Aside from the recent hollow activity, there was nothing to really discuss until Kisuke brought it up. "So Ichigo, exactly how close are you and Morgan?"

Ichigo blushed a bit at the question, "We're good friends, but that's it."

"Friends with a few benefits?" Kisuke questioned. Renji and Uryu immediately began rolling on the floor, laughing while holding onto their sides.

Ichigo began sweating a little, "Yeah, what's your point?" The laughing ceased.

"What?" Uryuu demanded "you defiled a girl's honour?"

"Actually Uryuu a gang of idiots defiled her honour and now she's having a hard time trusting men. I'm doing this to try to help her relearn to trust in other people. Believe it or not, it's actually working four eyes, so stick a cork in it!"

"Do you know about her connection with Aizen?" Kisuke asked carefully.

The six friends seemed to be holding their breath, Ichigo glanced in Kisuke Urahara's direction. "I take it you don't. Aizen experimented on Morgan's father, giving him the power to save lives at the risk of his own, and the ability to pass that power on to someone else in the event of his death. Which, her father did do the night of the car accident. But that isn't the worst of it, Morgan spent her whole life believing that the man who saved her was her father, two years ago when Aizen attacked Rukia and Morgan began making the connections, she realised the truth that the soul society was trying to withhold from her."

"Which was?"

"Morgan isn't entirely human. She's not a Shinigami, or a Vizard. She's one of Aizen's creations from his secret laboratory. The man who raised her, whom she called father was a Shinigami who defected from the soul society and kidnapped her from Sosuke Aizen just hours after she was made. He vowed to protect her with his life. Because she's Aizen's creation, created from his own genetic material, she's immune to his Zanpaktu. She was Aizen's ultimate weapon that he planned to raise. Morgan's father ruined that plan, years before Rukia was sentenced to death. Her disappearance is why he needed the Hōgyoku."


	21. Chapter 21

Ichigo kept looking on at Kisuke Urahara in full disbelief. The woman that he'd grown so close to, whom he vowed to protect, and whom he'd seen protecting others, and even fought at the side of just the previous day, had been created to be his enemy?

"Why wouldn't she have told me?" Ichigo wondered out loud.

"Because she didn't want you to know what she's planning to do," Kisuke answered, and again he was met with six pairs of eyes.

"Due to the fact that Aizen's genetic material is part of her genetic make-up, she has the ability to track him even in other dimensions. Morgan informed me the second that we returned from Hueco Mundo that Aizen wasn't dead, he'd used his Zanpakuto to fake it again." Kisuke remembered their conversation after Hueco Mundo.

_"So what do you want me to do about it Morgan?"_

_"Absolutely nothing. I'll handle it."_

_"You're not at your peak strength yet."_

_"I'm strong enough. Besides that Kisuke, you know I'm the only one who has any chance at all of defeating him once and for all. I'm barely clinging to the human inside, I won't let the same happen to Ururu."_

_"Ururu's fine, her treatments are working."_

_"You say that now. But there will be a point where she faces down an enemy in an almost robotic state. I won't allow things to go beyond that. I can't."_

_"You'll have to break up with Austin."_

_"Not an issue, Aizen had Austin eliminated. Sent one of his modified hollows after him."_

_"I'm sorry."_

_"So am I. I guess as long as Aizen's alive, I can't get romantic with anyone. They'd be a target for Aizen's attacks."_

_Kisuke watched her body language, her fists were balled, and despite her tough exterior, he could see the anger and desperation in her eyes._

_"Let me help Morgan. You can't win this alone."_

_"You can't help me Kisuke. I don't even think Ichigo Kurosaki could. If anyone goes with me they risk falling under Aizen's spell and getting in my way. I can't take that chance especially if there's an Espada. If that happens I might kill an innocent, you know that. I have to do this alone."_

Ichigo tried to process what Kisuke was telling him, but his mind was reeling. Morgan was a modified weapon? Aizen was still alive? And what did she mean killing an innocent? She wouldn't. She had more self control than that. He got to his feet and ran out of the shop heading towards her apartment.

"Hey Ichigo!" Renji shouted.

"Let him go Renji," Rukia spoke up. "This is something he has to do for himself, alone."

Renji knew there was no point in arguing with her, she could be just as stubborn about things as Ichigo, "fine."

"Urahara, tell us more. What did Morgan mean?"

_I can't believe this. It's impossible. How could she have known and not told me? She tells me everything else. I thought we trusted each other with everything. Our past, our souls, our bodies... She's human, yet she's a shinigami, and yet she's also a Vizard. She can heal, and she can erect force fields around a person to prevent them from getting involved. She can use Bankai, she can sense faint Reiatsu from miles away. It makes sense that she's something unusual. But a weapon? If she's a weapon, what does that mean about me? Am I a modified design? Or am I just like this because my father is a Shinigami and my mother was human? I wish Kisuke hadn't told me. But now more than ever, I have to see her. I have to talk to her. _Ichigo thought as he came up to the front doors of her apartment building, he buzzed her apartment number.

Morgan sat in her living room on a yoga mat, deep in meditation.

_I can sense your reiatsu but I can't get a firm lock on it. Show yourself Aizen. Face me, and pay for what you've done to my family's honour, to the soul society, to Rukia Kuchiki. I'll make you pay for all of that, and more. I'll make you pay for creating me._

Her thoughts were interrupted as she sensed another reiatsu source, a massive amount of it, very powerful. It was Ichigo. Her apartment number was buzzed.

Great time for a booty call, she thought to herself as she got off the floor and answered the buzzer, "Ichigo?"


	22. Chapter 22

After buzzing Ichigo into the building, Morgan set about making dinner, she'd had a feeling when she last spoke to Urahara that he'd reveal her secret, and she planned on doing something to help Ichigo remember that he was special to her. He had only mentioned his favourite food once, in passing. Morgan had prepared enough for two, anticipating that he'd be coming. When Ichigo entered her apartment, the smell of Sukiyuki tickled his nose.

"Is that..." he couldn't bring himself to finish.

"Sukiyuki," Morgan confirmed.

"So um, Kisuke told me something interesting today."

"He told you who my genetic donor was?" Morgan inquired.

"I guess that's one way of putting it."

"Another way of putting it is he told you who my biological father is, and that the man that I refer to as my father rescued and adopted me. Taught me to control my inner conflicts, and how to go into a near shut down when my emotions become too heavily involved and I risk becoming a destructive force that no one in the soul society, or even this plane of existence could hope of defeating," Morgan rambled off in a long winded explanation that made Ichigo feel like he was in a science class.

"Right..."

"And you're wondering why I didn't tell you, despite everything else we've shared."

"Yeah..." his hand was scratching the back of his head suddenly feeling stupid for thinking that she wouldn't know.

"You're not stupid, Ichigo. Come, sit, eat, and we'll talk," Morgan insisted.

"Uh, okay... Morgan, I thought you didn't like Sukiyuki."

"I don't. I knew at some point Kisuke would be telling you the truth about me today during your weekly meeting. Knowing you I knew you'd be upset and feel like I didn't trust you. That's not it at all. Anyway, less talking, more eating."

Ichigo sat across from her and picked up the chopsticks she had placed out for him. "You know... Sukiyuki's my favourite."

Morgan smiled "I remember."

* * *

Elsewhere, five pairs of eyes were now staring at Urahara as if he had twenty heads. How could the soul society have not known? The simplest answer was of course, Aizen's hypnotic powers through his Zanpakuto. If Morgan was an ultimate weapon, wouldn't she be using Ichigo and try to kill him?

Well, no. Despite being originally designed to be a weapon, she was able to retain more of her humanity than Aizen had originally intended. He had designed her genetic structure so that she'd go through phases. Human for the first two years, develop Shinigami powers between the ages of three and twelve, and then become a Vizard at age thirteen, they both knew there was a next step, and Kisuke revealed that Morgan hoped she'd die before that step fully occured.

She figured it had something to do with becoming an adult but she didn't know exactly what. However, in the past week she's begun to notice something new, an ability to move objects with a mere thought. Though the act did exhaust her, she knew there'd come a point where the exhaustion would no longer be an issue, just as it had been with the Shinigami phase and the Vizard phase.

"So, she's telekinetic?"

"She's in the beginnings of her telekinetic ability, yes. However, with this comes a dangerous scenario, if Morgan loses control of her emotions, positive or negative, she could wind up causing an explosion, and kill anyone who was within the shockwave."

"She gets so exhausted after healing someone though, how could she be so powerful?"

"Simply put, the healing ability that she has isn't from Aizen himself. The man who rescued Morgan as a baby had been altered by Aizen to have that ability, and the ability to pass it on to someone at his own sacrifice. When Morgan was injured in the car accident, and he wasn't, it took all of his power to prevent her from dying. He knew that someday she'd be the only one who could stop Aizen from carrying out his plans and destroying the Soul Society permitting himself to become overlord of the land of the living. Above all else, Aizen desires power, Morgan has power but would welcome the break of not having it. By giving up his power to her, Morgan's adoptive father provided a barrier to prevent her from being under Aizen's full control, as long as she maintained that power, that part of her that will forever be referred to as her human portion, because it was given to her in an act of humanity. If she ever heals someone from death back to life, she'd lose the power and die in the process. The person she heals wouldn't get that power. It can only be transferred once, and it's existence is bound to her life force, because when the power was transferred to her, she absorbed the reiatsu of the soul reaper who healed her, thereby killing him. She is right in a way when she says it's her fault that he died, at the same time, he made the choice to sacrifice himself. Something she only recently came to terms with, likely because of her conversations with Ichigo."


	23. Chapter 23

After dinner and a long explanation and reassuring that everything else, including the rape, had been true, Morgan and Ichigo were sitting in her living room up against the couch. Ichigo's back braced by the furniture while he held Morgan in his arms, holding her close to himself, "I still don't understand why you didn't tell me before now. Did you think I'd run away or attack you?"

"No."

"Then why?"

"Austin knew."

"Your ex?"

Morgan nodded, "I told him about it when we were still only friends, when I was thirteen and my inner hollow began acting up. Austin realised something was wrong, he was spiritually aware, his powers weren't fully developed but he could see shadows and outlines... hear things. So he noticed when I was struggling with it. He never ran from me. But Aizen found out about him somehow... I don't know. He knew I had an emotional connection with Austin that surpassed friendship, and he sent a modified hollow to end that connection... to detach me from my human side."

Ichigo's grip on her tightened, "I'm not going anywhere. I promise you. I've won against Espada, there's nothing Aizen can do to pull me from you."

"There is one thing. He could come after you himself."

He hadn't thought of that. Last time he was against Aizen he was able to land a few strikes, but that's with his father, a former Shinigami captain at his side. "With you around I could," Ichigo replied.

"Besides, I'm not going after him for a while. I've been able to sense his reiatsu recently but it's thin... weak. As if he's in another plane of existence again. However, it's getting stronger. I'm thinking he's going to try to come back to the land of the living. Come after me. I welcome it... After all the pain he's caused, he's going to get some thrown right back at him. I don't want to capture him. I want to kill him," the venom in her voice phased Ichigo for a second, before he burried his head in her hair, finding her ear he whispered, "Remember when we agreed to have each other's back, no matter what?"

Morgan smiled a bit, "Yeah."

"That still applies right?"

Morgan turned to face him "of course it does. Why even ask?"

"Then you'll understand if no matter where you go to face him, in this world, or another, I follow you. You can be angry with me all you want, but I know how tough Aizen is, I won't let him harm you."

"You still don't fully understand do you?" She asked, bringing one hand up in front of her, her fingers were relaxed and then she tensed them... suddenly Ichigo was over whelmed with a feeling of having every limb simutaneously pulled in opposite directions.

"I'm too powerful for Aizen to handle. I'm becoming too powerful to exist safely with others, and I will not condemn myself to isolation. It might destroy me in the process, but I will kill Aizen. Alone."

Her voice was almost robotic as she spoke, her green eyes were like giant saucers, with no pupil left. "Morgan... let go," He begged. Morgan complied releasing him.

"Now do you understand? I haven't reached the peak of my power yet. Before I do there have to be two events, Aizen's death, and mine. That's why I can't let myself get too involved with you Ichigo, I'm the ultimate Mod soul, created with the only intention of destroying the land of the living and the soul society. I will not comply with what Aizen planned while creating me. I will stop him, and I'll destroy myself to save those two worlds."

Ichigo reached out and touched her face pulling her close, resting his temple on hers. "Alright, I won't follow."

"Forget about me after I'm gone Ichigo. Just pretend I never existed."

"I can't do that. I'll tell you right now, I can't. Even if I live to be a hundred, I'll never be able to forget you."

Morgan opened her eyes and looked at his face, tears were falling silently from his eyes. "No... no didn't we say we weren't going to..."

"I couldn't help it," he interrupted. "I love you Morgan. No matter what happens, I know I'll always care about you, even after you're gone. I know something else too," He brought his head up so that his eyes were level with hers.

"What?"

"I want it to be you," Ichigo replied as he kissed her, a kiss so full of passion, lust, desire, and trust that it caused tears to pour from Morgan's eyes, still she maintained a degree of control and didn't allow herself to get too caught up. It had become too dangerous to let herself lose control. However, she did feel a bit tired, it was likely safe to lose some control, she buried her head into his neck, "Ichigo..." Morgan's lips connected with Ichigo's neck, kissing tenderly at first, then gently sucking.


	24. Chapter 24

He had pulled her close once again, and she could feel the stirring down below.

"Are you sure you're ready for this?" Ichigo asked her. He had been for a while, but he didn't want to push her.

"Now or never," Morgan replied, pressing her mouth against his. "Do you care about me?" his voice whispered.

"No, it's more than just that. I love you, I've known for a while but I..."

"Shh, don't worry about it," he soothed as he unbuttoned her plaid top.

He didn't know if they'd get another chance, and he wasn't going to waste this time with her arguing, or assigning blame for whatever action or inaction over the last three months. He just wanted her body and his body to be connected intimately. He wanted the most intimate experience with her that he could have. He wanted her. Weapon, Vizard, Shinigami, human, it didn't matter. He adored her.  
He hadn't seen her unclothed yet, and although he was curious, he was also a bit reserved.

"Ichigo, if you're not ready."

"I am... I just realised, I've never seen you fully unclothed before, why is that?"

Morgan blushed a little "Because... the amount of damage that I take in some fights... I've gone up against Arrancars, Espadas.. they mainly focused on Karakura, but Aizen sent a few stray ones my way trying to collect me... the injuries that they gave me... I still have scars. It's a little embarrassing."

He laughed at her, "Silly girl, it doesn't matter. Scars add to the complexity and beauty that's you. Like an oil painting." He kissed her as he pushed her shirt off her shoulders. "I don't care how many scars you have, I'll memorize them, cherish them. They're part of you, they tell your story."

Morgan was blushing at how ridiculous she'd sounded. Of course he didn't care about a few imperfections, or all of her imperfections. In his eyes, it didn't matter how many alter egos she had, or how many injuries she'd sustained what he cared about, and always had was the person below the surface, the very core of who she was, her human side that made her both strong and vulnerable. They took their time undressing each other, getting to know every curve, every detail, embedding the moment in their mind for the rest of their days.

Ichigo pulled out a condom from his jacket pocket that his father had given him months ago, and unwrapped it, putting it on, he looked at Morgan, her breasts, her flat stomach complete with a pink and purple navel ring, her perfectly toned arms and legs, her facial expression, fully focused on the here and now. No tomorrow, no Aizen, no suicide mission. She was just here, with him, only him.

"You ready?"

"Quit asking already," Morgan replied, grabbing the back of his neck and pulling him down on top of her. Ichigo entered her, for the first time, and what he knew would be the last time.

He gasped as he felt an all new sensation sweep over him. "Oh god... I never thought... god..." he couldn't form a full sentence.

"Don't talk Ichigo, look at me... stay with me long as you can, alright?"

"Right."

He started to move inside her, slowly at first, he'd pull out to the tip, wait a minute, than slide all the way back in. After a while he started to pick up speed, increasing the pleasure that they both felt, but he wanted more, he wanted to be fully inside her. He gently placed his hands under Morgan's lower back, and neck, and then in one motion, he had moved so that he was sitting on the living room floor, and she was riding him. Ichigo guided her hips, up and down while Morgan used his shoulders to brace and manouver herself.

"Oh god, I didn't think it'd feel this good," he sighed in the throws of ecstacy.

"Neither did I," Morgan agreed. Ichigo looked at her face, she was enjoying herself. He knew she was holding back a bit, and wondered why, but even in the state he was in figured restraint was just part of who she was. As he watched her move, a pressure began to build up in him. "Morgan... I'm close."

Morgan's muscles clamped down around him, and additional warmth flooded around him, he remembered from their mutual masturbation session what that meant.

"Shit, I'm gonna cum, damn it..." Ichigo groaned as he poured his seed into the prophylactic. He had wanted it to last longer, forever even. Morgan felt her eyes well up, she knew why he'd been cursing without him even telling her.

_I know. I wish we could just ignore everything else forever Ichigo. But we can't. I can't. _

Ichigo wrapped his arms tightly around her, hugging her as close to himself as he could. "I know you can't stay forever, but stay with me just a bit longer?"

Morgan closed her eyes, a single tear emerging from the request. "Alright, I'll stay for a bit longer," Morgan agreed, hugging him back. They fell asleep skin on skin, their breathing in sync with each other. Before she drifted off, Morgan's last thought was: _Ichigo, a part of me will stay with you, no matter what happens against Aizen. You prolonged my strength, helped me to maintain what little humanity I still clinged to, and then increased it. You gave me a reason to defend the world of the living beyond Ururu. My soul may leave this world, but my memory lives on through you, as does my heart. I'm yours, always and forever. _


	25. Chapter 25

It was three am when Morgan woke up, ice flowed through her body, that spiritual pressure... it was Aizen. Quickly she threw her clothes on, and after scribbling something down on a piece of paper along with a shoe box, she looked over at Ichigo, still deep in sleep. She went over to him, brought his hand up to her lips, and gently kissed his warm flesh one last time.

"Please don't follow me," she pleaded quietly, she left her keys behind, expecting that if he did follow, he'd lock up the apartment.

In the hall way she decided to take the stair way, and began pumping out enough reiatsu to let Aizen know her location, and divert him from Ichigo. _Come n get me Aizen, I'm ready._  
She exited the stair well and stopped in her tracks, there he stood the brown hair, the brown eyes, the devilish smile. Her creator, tormentor, and the very thing she had decided to end, Aizen.

"Long time no see Morgan, did you have fun pretending to be normal?"

Morgan's green eyes narrowed, her green orbs began to glow, Aizen looked on, an amused look on his face, "I see that you've neared the peak of your power, that should make this interesting."

"We'll see just how interesting you find it when I turn you into dog food," Morgan growled. Aizen laughed. I was hoping to make it to a roof top, or somewhere that no one would notice my body... to hell with it. She popped the gikon pill and instantly took soul reaper form, thrusting her Zanpakuto into the road, she formed a force field that would contain every other living person in within a 50 mile radius in all directions, protecting them from Aizen, but allowing her to fight him with ease, and without restraint as an opening in the force field coned upwards out of the center. Aizen sneered, "I see you've mastered your Zanpakuto's special ability. What else can you do?"

"You're going to find out soon enough Sosuke Aizen."

"That's Master Aizen to you."

"Not for the sixteen years of my life have I ever referred to you as 'master', and I am certainly not going to start now."

Aizen's eyes were blazing at the lack of respect that his own creation was showing him. "How dare you."

"I dare a lot. I know what you are, I know who you are. I know what you've done, I know what you intend to do. I'm here to stop you Aizen. I will not permit you to continue your reign of terror over this world, or the soul society."

"You're going to stop me in your current state?" He laughed from his perch in mid air.

Morgan took a brief second to mask her spiritual pressure, now that she had Aizen in her sights, her eyes once again glowed green, the pupil of eyes disappeared as she uttered the word, "Bankai."

"Ah, you've gotten a lot more powerful I see."

"I was twelve back then Aizen, what'd you expect? You designed my power, remember? But I've learned a few tricks even you couldn't have predicted." Morgan spat, the swirls of pink disappeared and she brought her left hand up to her face. Her eyes went from green to hot pink as her Vizard form was summoned.

"Don't flatter yourself child," he laughed.

She drew both chopsticks from her hair, causing it to fall down to her shoulders. She then transformed the chopsticks into dual wielding daggers and glared at the monster who had made her what she is, "Shut up and pray for a quick death."

She pushed off the ground, and flew up towards him. Aizen drew his Zanpakuto and tried to make her believe that he was Ichigo, waiting to hug her. "Nice try, Aizen," Morgan shouted through gritted teeth as her daggers flew in a seemingly wild manner, yet the movements were controlled, grabbing the guard of the Zanpakotu, she moved her arm up rapidly, causing the weapon to fly out of his grasp and then fall hit the side of the building and fall beyond his reach. Morgan then used a Kido spell to destroy his Zanpakuto as well as the illusion. "You forget Aizen, I'm not fooled by you. Try whatever you like, you won't trick me."

Aizen grinned, "My little girl's grown up."

"I am _not_ your little girl. I never was," Morgan retorted. Aizen attempted to goat her, "Ichigo Kurosaki is your adopted cousin. The name of the man who rescued you was Ian Kurosaki, he changed it to MacKenzie when he came to this world."

"So the hell what? Adoption doesn't cause defects like biological inbreeding does. Speaking of which, did your father fuck his sister? Is that how you became so screwed up?"

Aizen's eyes narrowed, she didn't take his bait, and what's more she'd turned it around on him. Either he was losing his edge, or she had become more powerful than he had predicted.

"You knew about Ichigo's birth, anticipated it. I know you planned to use him. I'm here to tell you that I'll stop that from happening tonight, or die trying."

"Then you'll die," Aizen stated, as he formed a cero and directed it at her. Morgan's pink eyes glared at him, challenging him to try it. As the Cero was released towards her, she used her dual daggers to block the attack, same as she would from a sword, and then without breaking a sweat, she sent the cero flying back towards him. He flash stepped out of the way and the Cero was absorbed by her force field. Aizen smiled in astonishment "Very impressive. What else have you learned?"

"Watch closely, and I'll show you, at your final breath," Morgan replied with a smirk under her mask.


	26. Chapter 26

There was a crash outside, snapping him out of his daze, he noticed one of them as being Morgan in bankai form, but the other person... it was Aizen. He had just unleashed a cero, but she had deflected it, and sent it soaring back at him.

"That's my girl," Ichigo shouted, hoping she'd hear the encouragement. If she did, she didn't acknowledge it. Then Aizen moved, suddenly there was a flurry of blades and limbs, Ichigo couldn't tell what was going on, they were moving too fast for him. But he knew who was winning when he saw one of Morgan's daggers penetrate Aizen's shoulder clean through.

"If I have to take you apart limb by limb, that's exactly what I'll do Aizen," she informed him as she forced the blade downwards, his arm, now severed from his body, fell to the road beneath them. He looked up at her, and didn't even blink.

"Excellent progress, Morgan," She didn't react to his compliment.

"Are you going to actually fight? Or simply critique everything I do to you?"

"Very well, if you really want me to," Aizen replied.

"This is a bit boring," Morgan admitted.

Aizen attempted to use a kido spell on her, She used her telekinetic ability to break the spell before it struck her. "Pathetic. Is that the best you've got?"

Aizen paled, he had expected to regain control of his little renegade before she had begun the final stages of her transformation.

"What's the matter Aizen? Something not go according to your plan? Let me fill you in, the night that you caused Ian MacKenzie to believe he didn't have my inhaler on his person, leading him to speed towards a hospital on an icy road, leading to the car accident, he sacrificed his life to save mine. I should've died that night, but although I wasn't his biological daughter, Ian couldn't stand the thought of living if I wasn't in this world. He made a choice. Before his death he gave me a piece of himself that you had created, his healing ability. As long as I'm alive, and that healing ability is still within my power, you cannot control me. I cannot be defeated by you Aizen. This time it'll be different, it won't be you calling the shots. I'm in control here," Morgan raged.

Morgan lunged at Aizen, he attempted a flash step, only to find that Morgan had also flash stepped and was directly behind him, she swung both daggers slicing off both of his legs.

"This is the perfect time for me to demonstrate that no matter what you learn, kido or sword mastery, or shunpo... hand to hand combat is where I still rank above you."

Morgan used her shunpo to reappear in front of him. "You want to fight me, hand to hand, when you have only one limb left?"

She brought her pink eyes up to meet his brown eyes. With a chuckle she replied, "You must think I'm a sadist if you thought I'd accept that."

Aizen's face reflected his horror. She wasn't supposed to care about fair fights. "No Aizen, the last of this fight will be the difference in our kido skill," she stated, throwing the daggers backwards behind her, blades first into the concrete of the building.


	27. Chapter 27

Aizen grinned at this; Kido was one of his many specialties.

"You only get one free shot, so make it count; otherwise, I won't be so merciful."

Aizen saw his opportunity directly behind her, he opened a hole in her force field, Morgan looked in at the hole that had formed, and it was right in front of her apartment. _He's aiming for Ichigo._ He then sent a cero towards the opening in her force field. Morgan used her shunpo to move in front of the opening, using her body to shield the person that was inside the apartment.

Ichigo watched in horror as he witnessed the scene before him. Yet despite how desperately he wanted nothing more than to transform into a Shinigami, he somehow couldn't. Maybe it had something to do with Morgan's force field. "Morgan!" he hollered.

When the cero was spent Morgan was breathing heavily, cuts covered her body, and ¾ of her hollow mask had been destroyed, but none of the cero had gotten past her. "Nice try, but not good enough," Morgan laughed. She then pointed a finger at Aizen, indicating the direction of her spell, yet she didn't utter a word. A purple and black box appeared over Aizen, and then exploded. Soon as the spell was over, Aizen fell from his midair stance like a limp rag doll, every bone in his body was broken, his thought was, _she utilized the full power of Hado 90, without uttering a word._

Morgan was aware of how little spiritual pressure he had left. Grabbing her daggers, she joined him on the road beneath where the battle had taken place. She walked over to him, "Your biggest downfall was your pride and arrogance. I told you, my powers had grown since I was twelve, what you couldn't anticipate was how much my powers had grown. Another weakness you had was selfishness. You caused all of the pain and grief that you did for selfish reasons, and you thought I'd fight you just for my own freedom. I wasn't fighting for myself, I was fighting for everyone else that mattered to me. This is the end of the road for you Sosuke Aizen," Morgan stated as she moved her dagger to his throat, Aizen looked as though he wanted to say something to her, but was unable to speak.

"Just so you know I'm turning myself in to the soul society. It's about time the Kurosaki's regained their noble house," with that she slit his throat. His spiritual pressure was extinguished. She removed what was left of her hollow mask, the pink eyes returned to green. She collected her Zanpakuto, in doing so she broke the barrier that shielded the outside world from the mess that had just occurred. She took a few steps before giving into the exhaustion she felt. Falling onto the pavement, she watched as the world around her seemed to darken_. I defected from my original design. I'm not a monster, I'm not a weapon. I'm my own being. Ichigo..._ was her last thought before the darkness over took her.

* * *

Her eyelids were heavy, and yet she was able to reopen them. Where was she? Urahara's shop? "Hey, sleeping beauty awakens," Kisuke joked as he entered the room, laughing until he saw the look on her face, then his arms flew up in front of him. In less than a minute Morgan had knocked him onto his back and had a choke hold on his neck.

"How dare you spare my life!" She hollered at him, her eyes appeared to be on fire with her temper flaring.

"Do you know what I can become now? Do you know what you've done? There's no way to stop it. It's too advanced. Death is my only salvation and you robbed me of it Kisuke. How fucking dare you!"

Urahara was turning blue when Renji finally managed to pull her off, only for her to disolve into tears. The building began to shake. She broke free of Renji's hold and tried to run out of the store. Ichigo was waiting for her, touching her arm, she began to calm down.

"It wasn't Mr. Hat and clogs idea, it was mine," Ichigo informed her. She looked up at him, her green eyes reflecting the betrayal she felt.

"But why?"

Ichigo sat on the floor, and ran a hand through his hair, "well... I never told you about this but... you're not the first girl I ever had feelings for."

"I'm hardly surprised. You're sixteen, you must've had a few crushes here n there," Morgan fumed.

"would you calm down before you bring the shop down?"

"I used to think we were too much alike, that we wouldn't work, and this other girl would be a better match for me. Then I realised I was wrong. If I did let you die, when I could've done something to prevent it..." his voice was cracking now.

Morgan pushed her own demons and emotions downwards inside. "Ichigo... I'm so sorry. I... I never meant for this to happen."

"Does anyone ever plan to fall for someone?"

"I guess that's true. That's the reason you went against my wishes?"

Ichigo looked at her, his amber eyes reflected his astonishment that she'd even ask such a thing. Morgan sighed, defeated. He did love her. Though she knew that she loved him, she was worried about what would happen if she kept transforming and despite Urahara's research, he was no closer to halting her transformation than he had been four years ago. "I have to go to the Soul Society. Your family was stripped of their status within the Soul Society because of what your paternal uncle did to help me. Even though he didn't have to. He was suspected for creating me and so all of the Kurosakis were exiled. I have to make it right."

Ichigo had long ago stopped becoming stunned at the things she said, the things she knew. His dad had been a noble in the soul society? He shook his head at the thought. He didn't care about status, but this was about her honour as much as his, and he couldn't deny her that. Ichigo took her hand in his, "we'll find a way together. I promise you."

"You do realize there's nothing ordinary about me right?"

He laughed at that question, "Of course. But I get bored with normal things and normal people."


	28. Chapter 28: Epilogue

Epilogue

_~ Ten years later ~  
_  
Ichigo walked down the streets of Karakura town, his feet treading a familiar route as events replayed in his mind. Just six months after Aizen had been defeated Morgan returned to the land of the living, and announced she wouldn't undergo any further changes thanks to the department of research and development. She also announced that the Kurosaki's had their status within the Soul Society day that Morgan had decided to stay in Karakura briefly flashed in his memory, but it was nowhere near as vivid as the memory that was constantly popping into his mind.

_"You're serious? You're really pregnant?"a stunned 18-year-old Ichigo inquired._

_"Mmmhmm, I'm due June 17__th__," Morgan replied, a hand gently resting over her stomach._

_"That's... the anniversary of my mom's death."_

_"I know, now you'll have something nice to celebrate that day," Morgan replied beaming._

_He held the petite brown-haired woman in his arms, hugging her as tightly as he dared. He slightly wondered how his father would take the news, but then shrugged it off._

_"Ichigo, what if the baby is..."_

_"Not normal? Don't worry about that. We'll deal with whatever comes our way, besides Urahara and Mayuri worked together and managed to halt the changes that Ururu was supposed to go through."_

_"That's true."_

He looked at his eight-year-old son and daughter at his side, his dad had handled the news about expecting one baby just fine, but the news of twins got him into one of his strange antics. Isshin, it turns out, had saved most of Karin and Yuzu's baby things and a couple of Ichigo's outfits. Ichigo had attended University and received his degree in Journalism. In between those two events though, something happened to Morgan.

_"Are you sure?" A pale faced Morgan inquired of the doctor before her. Ichigo had never seen his fiancee so terrified._

_"I'm sorry but the results are definite. We have to deliver the babies now and start you on radiation immediately."_

_"Deliver them? I'm only five months pregnant. What are their odds?"_

_"Survival rate at this point in the pregnancy is 20% at best."_

_"And if I waited?"_

_"I don't recommend it."_

_"If I waited, what would their odds be?"_

_"At six months gestation the survival rate jumps to 40%, at seven months the survival rate is nearly 80%, but I don't recommend waiting to begin treatment."_

_"And treatment during pregnancy will harm the babies."_

_"Yes."_

_Morgan thought for a moment and looked at Ichigo. His heart was breaking, either way he'd lose someone very important to him. "Ichigo..." she began to say._

_"It's up to you Morg, it's your body that this is happening to. Whatever you decide, I'll support your decision."_

_"I'm refusing treatment until the seventh month," Morgan informed the doctor._

_"Miss MacKenzie I urge you to be rational. You can always adopt after treatment, and there is a chance that the babies can survive at this point in the pregnancy but one thing is certain if you hold off on treatment the cancer will spread and you will die."_

_"I can think of worse things than dying to better my children's odds."  
_  
Reaching Morgan's grave Ichigo began unpacking the picnic, a tradition that had begun when his mother died. Morgan had lasted another month and a half before the brain tumour caused a long violent seizure, Yuzu had found her and immediately called for an ambulance. The tumour had caused a massive brain hemorrhage, due to Yuzu's quick thinking in making sure that Morgan was receiving ample oxygen during the convulsion, and placing cushions around her abdomen, the babies had survived without incident. Morgan had died during the emergency c-section, without Isshin and his friends to help him he wouldn't have been able to attend University, but strong family ties and friendships had always pulled through for him. Masaki Morgan Kurosaki and Ian Yasutora Kurosaki were born on April 2nd, six weeks before their due date. They were four when Ichigo graduated University.

Masaki, he had noticed by the age of four, could see spirits like he used to. Ian was able to sense that they were there. Ian and Ichigo were setting up their lunch, but Masaki had ran off somewhere. Masaki's hair was burnt orange in colour, and she had Morgan's green eyes. Ian had Morgan's brown hair and Ichigo's brown eyes.

Whenever they visited Morgan's grave she always took off for a bit on her own, and Ichigo never worried because she had Kon with her. This time however, his daughter's scream sent ice through his veins as he and Ian (very protective of his twin sister) took off towards her cries. When Ichigo found her, his heart leapt into his throat, a hollow. "Masaki what's wrong?"

"Ian, go see if you can find Uncle Chad or any of the others, if you can, stay with them until I come for you. Understand?"

"But Dad I..."

"Don't argue."

"Fine," the boy replied taking off towards Orihime's house. Ichigo was going to transform into his soul reaper form when another Soul reaper, with medium length chocolate brown hair leapt in between the hollow and his daughter, she drew her Zanpakuto, and Ichigo gasped as he recognized the hilt, it was purple and pink stripped. "I hate it when you hollows pick on children," her familiar voice rang in his ears with the same protective tone she used when she had defended Ururu. He looked on as she charged at the hollow and dispatched it with one strike straight down its mask.

Turning back to them, she asked if they were alright, a warm smile danced on her lips and her green eyes sparkled. Ichigo realized then that she was happy. She liked being a soul reaper without worrying about becoming something else. "Yeah, thanks."  
Morgan beamed at that, "Good, come on kid, let's get you on your feet," she said offering her hand to Masaki who grasped the woman's hand eagerly and allowed herself to be pulled up into a standing position. "Be good now and stay close to your father," the soul reaper advised as she left as quickly as she had appeared.

"Daddy, was that..." Masaki couldn't finish her question.

"Yes, that was your mother. I guess she got assigned to protect Karakura town."

"She became a soul reaper. I wonder if she remembers us."

Ichigo felt a twinge of pain at his daughter's innocent question, he had told her that he and his father were soul reapers, but he hadn't told her about what happens if you die and then become a soul reaper.

"Masaki, when a person dies their memories die with them. She may not remember you, or know who you are, but I saw that same fiercely determined look on her face once before."

"When?"

"Years ago, when I watched her defend her cousin Ururu from a powerful hollow. She may not know her relation to you, but she knows that there's some kind of connection between the two of you. Even as a soul reaper, she'd die to protect you and your brother."

A tear fell down Masaki's cheek, "if I see her again Daddy, I'm going to show her a picture of her pregnant with Ian and me."

Ichigo smiled at his daughter's statement. "You could honey, you could."

Masaki wrapped her arms around her father, her burnt orange hair falling over her face. Ichigo thought to himself that if he had blamed himself for his mother's death, he couldn't begin to understand what his kids went through. Their mother had died the same day that they were born, the morning was spent mourning her. The afternoon and evening were spent celebrating their birth. "Why did she have to die? Why aren't you ever angry about it?" Masaki's trembling voice broke through his thoughts.

With smile on his usually scowled face, he looked up towards the tree tops and silently thanked Morgan. He now completely understood what his father had told him when he was fifteen years old.

_"You're the man that the woman I loved gave her life to protect."_

"Masaki, look at me for a minute," Ichigo encouraged. The little girl obeyed, though hesitantly.

"You're the girl that the woman I loved gave her life to protect. If I was angry at you for that, she'd never forgive me. You just saw yourself, we'll see mommy again someday. Until then she serves as our protector, just as she did when she was alive. She had a chance to save herself but it would've put you and Ian at risk of dying. She didn't want that. Never question your worth, okay?"

The girl nodded, a slight smile on her face. "C'mon, let's go find your brother," Ichigo suggested offering his hand to her. As her small hand wrapped around his, he silently thanked Morgan for all she had done.

_Fin_

* * *

AN: An Epilogue or Sequal was requested for this story, this is the result.


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